REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
February 8, 2022
FROM
JEANY ZEPEDA, Interim Director, Children and Family Services
SUBJECT
Title
Non-Financial Standard Contract Template for Out-of-State Adoption and Foster Care Family Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve non-financial standard contract template for Adoption and Foster Care Family Services to be utilized by Children and Family Services when placing children out-of-state with a foster care family services agency, delineating supervision services, for the period of March 1, 2022 through February 28, 2027.
2. Authorize the Assistant Executive Officer of Department Operations, the Deputy Executive Officer of Human Services, or the Director of Children and Family Services to execute the non-financial standard contract template with the individual out-of-state foster care family services agencies on behalf of the County.
(Presenter: Jeany Zepeda, Interim Director, 387-2792)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The standard contract template for use with out-of-state foster care family services agencies is non-financial; and as such, does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The recommended non-financial standard contract template will enable Children and Family Services (CFS) to secure care placement services for CFS dependent children who will be placed with a relative who resides out of state. Under California Regulation, relatives are given priority consideration for placement, even when they reside out of state. Some states/local agencies do not certify individual foster homes, instead the public agency certifies private Foster Care Family Services Agencies (Agencies) and the Agencies certify the individual foster families. Relatives seeking approval to care for a family member foster care child are required to obtain certification under one of the Agencies to ensure the ability to care for the child’s needs in accordance with applicable laws and regulations and educational stability requirements. The non-financial standard contract template will be utilized by CFS to enter into agreements with qualified out-of-state Agencies to delineate the required supervision services pertaining to professional support to foster parents and supervision of children who are placed with these resource families.
The target population includes, but is not limited to, children who are between the ages of 0 and 17 and non-minor dependents between the ages of 18 and 21 who are being placed by CFS in resource family home care.
CFS is requesting authorization for the Assistant Executive Officer of Department Operations, the Human Services Deputy Executive Officer, or the CFS Director to execute the standard contract template with the individual out-of-state Agencies on behalf of the County to expedite placements, and decrease the chances of losing a potential placement. In addition, this request assists in expediting the adoption process, which leads to a successful placement, adoption and permanency for the child and family.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Patty Steven, Contracts Manager, 388-0212) on January 5, 2022; County Counsel (Julie Surber, Principal Assistant County Counsel, 387-5455) on January 11, 2022; Finance (John Hallen, Administrative Analyst, 388-0208) on January 24, 2022; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on January 24, 2022.