REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 8, 2021
FROM
VERONICA KELLEY, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Contracts for Environmental Prevention Strategies and Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve contracts with the following agencies for the provision of Environmental Prevention Strategies and Services, in a total combined amount not to exceed $9,000,000, for the period of July 1, 2021 through December 31, 2025:
1. Institute for Public Strategies, in the amount not to exceed $2,466,000.
2. Mental Health Systems, Inc., in the amount not to exceed $2,610,000.
3. Reach Out West End, in the amount not to exceed $2,574,000.
4. Rim Family Services, in the amount not to exceed $1,350,000.
(Presenter: Veronica Kelley, 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 $9,000,000 for Environmental Prevention Strategies and Services is funded by Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant funding. Adequate appropriation and revenue will be included in the Department of Behavioral Health’s (DBH) 2021-22 recommended budget and future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
DBH is responsible for providing mental health and substance use disorder services to San Bernardino County residents who are experiencing mental illness and/or substance use disorders. An integral part of the service delivery system consists of prevention programs designed to promote health, wellness, and resilience and reduce risk factors known to contribute to the development of behavioral health problems.
Environmental prevention program services are designed to provide effective community-level results through the use of five integrated strategies. These evidence-based strategies include data collection and analysis, community organizing, policy development based on environmental or community condition change, media advocacy, and enforcement. These strategies were developed to produce changes in the community environment and align with four primary Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Prevention Initiatives: Underage and Binge Drinking Initiative, Methamphetamine and Other Controlled Substances Initiative, Marijuana Initiative and Synthetic Drugs Initiative. The program objective is to achieve positive change in order to reduce SUD issues among youth in San Bernardino County. DBH has provided these countywide services via contracted providers since 2007.
PROCUREMENT
On October 9, 2020, the County Administrative Office approved and authorized the release of a Request for Proposals (RFP), RFP# DBE21-ADS-3888, to solicit interested and qualified organizations and agencies to provide Environmental Prevention Strategies and Services. The RFP was publicly advertised through direct mailings to more than 400 community based organizations, educational providers, service providers, and other interested parties; advertised in local newspapers; and posted on the County of San Bernardino’s Electronic Procurement Network (ePro).
A total of 10 agencies attended the mandatory proposal conference on October 27, 2020. Five proposals were received in response to the RFP by the established deadline. One proposal did not meet the minimum requirements set forth in the RFP; the remaining four proposals met the RFP requirements and continued in the evaluation process.
|
Agency |
Proposed Region |
Proposed Budget |
|
Institute for Public strategies - San Diego, CA |
High Desert/East Valley |
$2,931,000 |
|
Mental Health Systems, Inc. - San Diego, CA |
Central Valley/Needles |
$3,745,834 |
|
Reach Out West End - Upland, CA |
West Valley/Low Desert |
$3,020,493 |
|
Rim Family Services - Skyforest, CA |
Mountain |
$1,597,500 |
The evaluation committee, comprised of six individuals with representation from the Workforce Development Department, Transitional Assistance Department, Orange County Health Care Agency, and DBH, reviewed and evaluated the proposals based on the criteria referenced in the RFP; including, but not limited to: demonstrated ability to serve diverse communities, ability to provide required services, demonstrated ability to gather data and achieve appropriate outcomes and quality management for program services, experience, staffing levels and qualifications, appropriateness of the facility, and ability to provide required services in the specified region and surrounding communities associated with the region.
Based on the evaluation results, all four evaluated proposers were recommended for contract award for the regions listed below. The proposals submitted indicated these agencies will provide the most adequate and appropriate services, and will be ready to provide services by the contract start date at the specified regions. These agencies are currently providing Environmental Prevention Strategies and Services to San Bernardino County residents through facilities located throughout the County.
|
Agency |
Recommended Regions |
Recommended Budget |
|
Institute for Public strategies - San Diego, CA |
High Desert/East Valley |
$2,466,000 |
|
Mental Health Systems, Inc. - San Diego, CA |
Central Valley/Needles |
$2,610,000 |
|
Reach Out West End - Upland, CA |
West Valley/Low Desert |
$2,574,000 |
|
Rim Family Services - Skyforest, CA |
Mountain |
$1,350,000 |
DBH will monitor contractor performance on a regular basis to ensure performance and compliance standards are met.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health Contracts (Natalie Kessee, Contracts Manager, 388-0869) on April 21, 2021; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on April 30, 2021; Purchasing Department (Bruce Cole, Supervising Buyer, 387-2148) on April 30, 2021; Finance (Christopher Lange, Administrative Analyst, 386-8393) on May 10, 2021; and County Finance and Administration (Tanya Bratton, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on May 18, 2021.