REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 28, 2022
FROM
GEORGINA YOSHIOKA, Interim Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Contract and Amendment for Military Service and Family Support Program Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve a contract with Uplift Family Services dba Pacific Clinics, for the provision of the Military Service and Family Support program services, in the amount of $1,500,000, for the period of July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025.
2. Approve Amendment No. 1 to Contract No. 17-398 with Victor Community Support Services, Inc., for the provision of the Military Service and Family Support program services, updating contract language, increasing the amount by $112,500, from $1,125,000 to $1,237,500, and extending an additional six months, for the total contract period of July 1, 2017 through December 31, 2022.
(Presenter: Georgina Yoshioka, Interim Director, 388-0801)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The amount of $1,500,000 for the contract in Recommendation No. 1 and the increase amount of $112,500 for the amended contract in Recommendation No. 2 for Military Service and Family Support (MSFS) program services are funded by Mental Health Services Act Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) funds. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Department of Behavioral Health’s (DBH) 2022-23 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The MSFS Program addresses the negative effects of traumatic events and other unique challenges of military life by providing in-home and/or community-based prevention and early intervention behavioral health services. Services are provided to military personnel, including service members of the Reserves and National Guard, veterans, and their families.
Since 2009, DBH has provided MSFS Program services through contracted providers. Services are delivered in military/veteran families’ homes when desired or within the community, increasing the likelihood that current and former military personnel will use the services, while also reducing stigma associated with accessing behavioral health services. The MSFS program includes two main components: Prevention - screening and assessments for individuals and their families and support groups designed to meet the unique needs of military families; and Early Intervention - case management and referrals for individuals and their families identified as needing long term, intensive, mental health services. This program provides individual, couples and/or family counseling and therapy, as well as short-term behavioral health services for participants experiencing the onset of a mental illness.
DBH staff assist contracted providers in collaborating with the County Department of Veterans Affairs and local military installations to link eligible military personnel and their families to resources and intervention programs to assist with the specific behavioral health needs of the County’s military population, such as separation anxiety, war fatigue, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
PROCUREMENT
On February 9, 2022, the County Administrative Office approved and authorized the release of a Request for Proposals (RFP), Electronic Procurement Network (ePro) No. DBHE22-ADMN-4455, to solicit qualified agencies to provide MSFS program services. The RFP was publicly advertised through direct mailings to more than 400 community-based organizations, service providers, and other interested parties; advertised in local newspapers; and posted on ePro.
The mandatory proposal conference was held on March 10, 2022. Eight agencies attended the conference. Four proposals were received in response to the RFP, three of which met the procurement requirements and continued in the evaluation process.
|
Proposing Agency |
Proposed Regions |
Proposed Budget |
|
Citadel Community Care |
Central Valley, East Valley |
$327,700 |
|
Hearts & Lives |
Central Valley, East Valley, Mountains |
$331,462 |
|
Uplift Family Services dba Pacific Clinics |
Central Valley, East Valley, Yucca Valley/Twentynine Palms |
$725,000 |
The evaluation committee, comprised of six individuals with representation from the Transitional Assistance Department and DBH, reviewed and evaluated the proposals based on the criteria referenced in the RFP, including but not limited to: demonstrated ability to serve the target population, ability to provide required services as specified in the RFP, demonstrated ability to serve unduplicated clients, ability to provide services by the contract start date, experience, staffing levels and qualifications, appropriate facility location to proposed service area, ability to provide required services in the specified geographic areas, and ability to perform program outcome evaluations.
Recommendation No. 1
Uplift Family Services dba Pacific Clinics is recommended for contract award as their proposal was found to meet the County’s needs in servicing the target populations in the Central Valley, East Valley, and Yucca Valley/Twentynine Palms regions. This agency has extensive knowledge of and experience working with the target population, as well as providing outreach services and resources.
The remaining agencies were not recommended for contract award due to lower ranking scores in programmatic and/or fiscal portions of the proposals, or missing required documentation. Unsuccessful agencies were notified by letter via electronic mail that their proposals were not recommended for contract award and of their ability to submit a formal written protest to the Purchasing Director based on the criteria in the RFP. No written protests were received.
Recommendation No. 2
On June 13, 2017 (Item No. 29), as the result of a formal procurement, the Board of Supervisors approved Contract No. 17-398 with Victor Community Support Services, Inc. to provide MSFS program services in the High Desert/Fort Irwin region, in the amount of $1,125,000, for the period of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2022.
The RFP conducted in 2022 did not receive any proposals for the High Desert/Fort Irwin region. As Victor Community Support Services, Inc. is the current provider of MSFS program services in this region, DBH is recommending extending their existing contract an additional six months through December 30, 2022, to prevent a gap in services for clients and families and to allow time to facilitate a new procurement for this region.
DBH will monitor contract performance on a regular basis to ensure performance and compliance standards are met. Contractor invoices will be reviewed and approved by DBH Programs to ensure client counts are accurate prior to being forwarded to DBH Fiscal for payment. DBH Fiscal will verify signatures and service costs prior to issuing payment.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health Contracts (Ellayna Hoatson, Contracts Supervisor, 388-0858) on June 1, 2022; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on June 3, 2022; Purchasing (Bruce Cole, Supervising Buyer, 387-2148) on June 3, 2022; Finance (John Hallen, Administrative Analyst, 388-0208) on June 6, 2022; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on June 13, 2022.