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 v
Contract with Step Up on Second, Inc. for Full Service Partnership Program Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Contract with Step Up on Second, Inc. to provide Full Service Partnership program services to chronically homeless individuals who suffer from mental illness, in the amount of $30,442,150, for the period of July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2026.
(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 recommended contract amount of $30,442,150 for Full Service Partnership program services is funded by the Mental Health Services Act and Medi-Cal Federal Financial Participation. 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
Step Up on Second, Inc. (Step Up) provides permanent supportive housing for homeless individuals throughout San Bernardino County funded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. Since 2016, DBH has maintained a unique partnership with Step Up to provide Full Service Partnership (FSP) program services to chronically homeless individuals who suffer from mental illness and receive permanent supportive housing from Step Up throughout San Bernardino County. The FSP program services provided by Step Up promote adaptive functioning into the community, to maintain housing, and to prevent unnecessary re-admissions to acute psychiatric hospitals and re-incarceration. DBH anticipates that the recommended contract with Step Up will provide FSP program services annually to approximately 444 Transitional Age Youth (ages 18-25) and adults (age 26 or older), at an estimated cost of $13,712 per client.
The FSP program is a collaborative relationship between the FSP provider and clients, through which the contractor plans and provides the full spectrum of community services (mental and non-mental health services), so the client can achieve identified goals. The FSP program consists of crisis intervention/stabilization, family education, peer support, treatment programs that treat behavioral health conditions in an integrated fashion, and 24/7 access to an inter-disciplinary team of behavioral health professional staff and peer advocates.
Incorporated in 1984, Step Up has a proven track record of working effectively with chronically homeless individuals with severe and persistent mental illness to help them recover, stabilize and integrate into the community. In addition Step Up has a well-established reputation for providing client driven wellness activities; individualized recovery services, culturally and linguistically appropriate services; support to Transitional Age Youth and dually diagnosed individuals; peer-led services and support groups; safe, supportive housing; effective collaboration with local business representatives, civic organizations, educational institutions, hospitals, and social service providers; and training and hiring of clients in paid positions.
PROCUREMENT
DBH is recommending a non-competitive contract with Step Up over a five-year period to continue the partnership in providing FSP services to San Bernardino County residents that receive permanent supportive housing through Step Up. Step Up is the only known provider in San Bernardino County that has demonstrated this particular experience and specialty dealing with individuals who are both chronically homeless and suffering with mental illness. Purchasing supports the non-competitive contract with Step Up to provide FSP program services to these clients to reduce behavioral health disabilities and maintain stabilized housing by providing a full spectrum of community and behavioral health services to support recovery, wellness, and resilience.
DBH will monitor contractor performance on a regular basis to ensure compliance standards are met.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health (Ellayna Hoatson, Contracts Supervisor, 388-0858) on May 7, 2021; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 10, 2021; Purchasing (Bruce Cole, Supervising Buyer, 387-2148) on May 11, 2021; Finance (Christopher Lange, Administrative Analyst, 386-8393) on May 17, 2021; and County Finance and Administration (Tanya Bratton, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on May 18, 2021.