REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
August 20, 2019
FROM
JOHN McMAHON, Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator, Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Contract with Liberty Healthcare Corporation for Mental Health Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 4 to Contract No. 16-08 with Liberty Healthcare Corporation for the provision of comprehensive mental health and programming services in the County’s detention facilities, increasing the contract amount by $10,355,759, from $31,307,335 to a new total amount not to exceed $41,663,094, and exercising the final option to extend the contract term by one year for a new total contract period of January 12, 2016 through January 11, 2021.
(Presenter: John Ades, Captain, 387-0640)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The estimated cost of the contract for 2019-20 is $9,752,089, which will be funded with 2011 Public Safety Realignment revenue ($7,143,174) and the remaining cost will be funded within the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator’s (Department) existing allocation. Sufficient appropriation and revenue are included in the Department’s 2019-20 detentions budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Correctional mental health services are defined as actions taken for the mental well-being of the inmate population, including a range of diagnostic, treatment, and follow-up services. Mental health services include the use of a variety of therapies to alleviate symptoms, attain appropriate functioning, prevent relapse, and help inmates to develop and pursue their personal recovery plans.
The Department continues to treat inmates identified as “seriously mentally ill” (SMI) through the Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) and a correctional Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) Act unit. The LPS Act provides guidelines for handling involuntary civil commitment of individuals to mental health institutions in the State of California. The LPS Act set the precedent for modern mental health commitment procedures in the United States.
PROCUREMENT
On January 12, 2016 (Item No. 43), as a result of a competitive process, the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved Contract No. 16-08 with Liberty Healthcare Corporation (Liberty) at a cost not to exceed $3,047,314 for the period of January 12, 2016 through January 11, 2017 with the option to extend the term for two additional one-year periods for the provision of comprehensive mental health and program services in the County’s correctional facilities.
Subsequently, the Board approved three amendments to Contract No. 16-08 with Liberty as follows: Amendment No 1 (August 23, 2016; Item No. 78): (1) increased the level of mental health services by an additional 11.75 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) positions, from 13 FTEs to 24.75 FTEs, (2) increased the contract amount by $14,161,308, and (3) amended the contract from a one-year term to a three-year term for a new contract term of January 12, 2016 through January 11, 2019, with two one-year options to extend the term. Amendment No. 2 (March 28, 2017; Item No. 55), increased the number of staff provided by 15 FTE, from 24.75 FTEs to 39.75 FTEs, and increased the contract amount by $4,682,952 with no change to the then current contract period of January 12, 2016 through January 11, 2019. Amendment No. 3 (December 18, 2018; Item No. 74) extended the term of the contract by one year from January 12, 2019 through January 11, 2020; and increased the total contract amount by $9,415,761 from $21,891,574 to $31,307,335.
The Department has identified the need for three (3) additional Mental Health Registered Nurse (RN) positions, increasing the number of RN’s from 10 FTEs to 13 FTEs to be provided by Liberty. The proposed amendment will increase the total staffing levels provided by Liberty from 39.75 to 42.75 FTEs in order to continue the treatment and services for the remainder of the contract term. The amendment will also exercise the final option to extend the contract by one year from January 12, 2020 through January 11, 2021. The contract may be terminated by either party upon 30 days advance written notice.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Richard D. Luczak, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on July 22, 2019; Purchasing (Michael Candelaria, Lead Buyer, 387-2060) on July 22, 2019; Finance (Jessica Trillo, Administrative Analyst, 387-4222) on July 31, 2019; and County Finance and Administration (Kelly Welty, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on July 31, 2019.