REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
September 15, 2020
FROM
PHALOS HAIRE, Director, Preschool Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Contract with Dr. Bergin Psychotherapy Family Services, PC DBA Dr. Bergin Family Counseling Services to Provide Mental Health Screenings
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 2, effective September 16, 2020, to Contract No. 16-199 with Dr. Bergin Psychotherapy Family Services, PC dba Dr. Bergin Family Counseling Services, to provide mental health screenings for Head Start, Early Head Start, and State Preschool children ages 0 to 5 and their parents countywide, increasing the contract amount by $100,000, from $425,000 for a total contract amount of $525,000, and exercising the final one-year option to extend the contract, for a total contract period of July 1, 2016 through September 30, 2021.
(Presenter: Phalos Haire, Director, 383-2005)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item has no impact on Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The increase of $100,000, total contract amount of $525,000, for mental health screening services is 100% state funded by the Mental Health Services Act through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Behavioral Health. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Preschool Services Department’s (PSD) 2020-21 budget and will be included in the 2021-22 recommended budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The recommended amendment will allow Dr. Bergin Psychotherapy Family Services, PC dba Dr. Bergin Family Counseling Services (Dr. Bergin) to continue providing individualized mental health screenings and evaluations, utilizing Head Start recommended assessments, to children enrolled in PSD’s Head Start programs and their families. Mental health screenings and evaluations are provided to approximately 200 children and their families per year.
Head Start Performance Standards have specific requirements related to children enrolled in the Head Start program who have mental health issues. Head Start agencies are required to provide licensed mental health professionals with experience and expertise counseling young children and their families. In addition, Head Start regulations require mental health screenings and evaluations that include a formal assessment conducted by a licensed mental health professional. PSD is fulfilling these mental health requirements through the contract with Dr. Bergin. Dr. Bergin has been working with PSD to provide mental health services since 2008.
Dr. Bergin provides individualized mental health screenings and evaluations utilizing Head Start recommended assessments to children enrolled in PSD’s Head Start programs and their families. She also supervises PSD’s Marriage and Family Therapist Interns (MFTI) who provide individualized mental health screenings and evaluations using a designated PSD assessment tool to identify mental health issues. Under Dr. Bergin’s supervision, MFTIs also provide support services for preschool children, caregivers, and teaching staff.
PSD provides Head Start, Early Head Start, and State Preschool programs that include comprehensive child development and family services comprised of education, health, nutrition, parent involvement, and psychological services for children ages 0 to 5 and their families. The overall goal of these programs is to increase the health and school readiness of disadvantaged children and increase the self-sufficiency of low-income families. Head Start and State Preschool programs have been operating in San Bernardino County since 1965. Since 1999, PSD has provided these programs through a combination of direct and contracted services.
PROCUREMENT
On May 3, 2016 (Item No. 34), as the result of a formal procurement, the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved Contract No. 16-199 with Dr. Bergin to provide individualized mental health screenings for Head Start, Early Head Start, and State Preschool children ages 0 to 5 and their parents countywide, in the amount of $300,000, for the period of July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2019.
On April 30, 2019 (Item No. 42), the Board approved Amendment No. 1 to Contract No. 16-199 with Dr. Bergin increasing the contract amount by $125,000, from $300,000 to a total contract amount of $425,000, and extending the contract period for one year, for a total contract period of July 1, 2016 through September 30, 2020. This amendment also included the option to extend the contract one additional one-year period upon agreement by both parties.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Jennifer Mulhall-Daudel, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on August 13, 2020; County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 26, 2020; Finance (Paul Garcia, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on August 27, 2020 and County Finance and Administration (Tanya Bratton, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on August 27, 2020.