REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 9, 2020
FROM
VERONICA KELLEY, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title v
Revised Standard Agreement Template for Children’s Residential Intensive Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve the revised standard agreement template for ongoing Children’s Residential Intensive Services updating standard contract language, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $10,600,000, for the period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021.
2. Authorize the Assistant Executive Officer of Human Services, the Deputy Executive Officer of Human Services, or the Director of the Department of Behavioral Health to execute the standard agreement template with the individual Children’s Residential Intensive Services providers, and make any non-substantive changes on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
(Presenter: Veronica Kelley, Director, 388-0801)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Health and Social Services Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The revised standard agreement template for Children’s Residential Intensive Services (ChRIS) will be utilized to provide 2020-21 services in a total aggregate amount of $10,600,000 that is funded by Medi-Cal Federal Financial Participation, Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), 2011 Realignment, 1991 Realignment, and a Memorandum of Understanding with Children and Family Services (CFS). Adequate appropriation and revenue will be included in the Department of Behavioral Health’s (DBH) 2020-21 recommended budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The ChRIS program is a structured residential program providing specialty mental health services to children/youth, who are San Bernardino County Medi-Cal beneficiaries and who are placed into group homes or Short Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTPs). Services are available to eligible children/youth during the period of placement and up to two months after the children/youth have left the group home in order to facilitate a successful transition to a lower level of care. The recommended action will revise the standard agreement template updating standard contract language for ChRIS services effective July 1, 2020. DBH utilizes a standard agreement template for this service in order to maintain a pool of qualified contract providers for these necessary services. In 2020-21, DBH anticipates that qualified providers for ChRIS will serve approximately 600 children/youth at an estimated average cost of $17,667 per child/youth.
DBH is responsible for providing mental health and/or substance use disorder services to San Bernardino County residents who are experiencing major mental illness and/or a substance use disorder. An integral part of the service delivery system consists of County operated and contracted service providers delivering a variety of mental health treatment services, including specialized services for children/youth that reside in group homes or are at risk of being placed in a group home.
The ChRIS program allows children/youth, who are CFS Dependents and/or Probation Wards and placed in residential care or STRTPs, to receive the specialty mental health services they require. These facilities provide short-term, specialized and intensive mental health treatment services and 24-hour care and supervision. ChRIS providers must meet strict licensing, accreditation, qualification, and program requirements in order to be part of DBH’s qualified provider pool of contractors.
PROCUREMENT
On May 23, 2016 (Item No. 44), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved the standard agreement template for ongoing ChRIS in aggregate amount not to exceed $17,700,000 for the period of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2019. The Board further authorized the Assistant Executive Officer of Human Services, Deputy Executive Officer of Human Services, or DBH Director to execute the individual standard agreement templates, on behalf of the County.
On June 11, 2019 (Item No. 15), the Board approved the revised standard agreement template and the first one-year option to extend contracts through June 30, 2020, increasing the aggregate contract amount by $10,600,000 for the period July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020. The Board further authorized the Assistant Executive Officer of Human Services, Deputy Executive Officer of Human Services, or DBH Director to execute the individual standard agreement templates and make any non-substantive changes to the standard agreement template, on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
Upon Board approval of the recommended action, qualified providers will provide the necessary ChRIS services under the revised standard agreement template effective July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021. In addition, DBH is requesting authorization for the Assistant Executive Officer of Human Services, Deputy Executive Officer of Human Services, or DBH Director to execute the individual standard agreement templates, as well as making any non-substantive changes, subject to review by County Counsel. Templates are being utilized due to the large number of contractors within the qualified pool and the ongoing need to add newly accredited facilities, and approval of this request will expedite the process with participating providers.
Contractor performance will be monitored on a regular basis to ensure compliance standards are met.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health Contracts (Ellayna Hoatson, Contracts Supervisor, 388-0869) on May 5, 2020; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 20, 2020; Finance (Christopher Lange, Administrative Analyst, 386-8393) on May 20, 2020; and County Finance and Administration (Tanya Bratton, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on May 20, 2020.