COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Health Department

 
 

DATE:

February 15, 2005

BOARD MEETING DATE:

March 8, 2005

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Four-fifths vote

 
 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Charlene A. Silva, Director, Health Department

   
 

Maureen Borland, Director, Human Services Agency

SUBJECT:

Partners for Safe and Healthy Children

 

RECOMMENDATION:

1.

Approve the report on the Partners for Safe and Healthy Children.

   

2.

Approve an Appropriation Transfer Request in the amount of $190,224 in Salaries and Benefits to staff the Partners for Safe and Healthy Children.

   

3.

Adopt a Salary Ordinance Amendment adding 5 positions to Mental Health.

 
 

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Ensure basic health and safety for all

Goal 8:.Help vulnerable people – the aged, disabled, mentally ill, at-risk youth and others – achieve a better quality of life.

 

The Partners for Safe and Healthy Children contributes to the goal by assuring a system of assessment, case management and treatment services for all high-risk children with behavioral health and medical needs.

 

Performance Measure(s):

Measure

FY 2004-05
Estimated

FY 2005-06
Projected

Number of clients receiving services

75 (partial year)

160

 

BACKGROUND:

Recently the Health Department, in collaboration with Human Services Agency (HSA), has changed and expanded how it provides and oversees treatment and intervention services to children who are at high risk of abuse and neglect. Most services have been provided by a community-based organization. The Health Department and HSA began to restructure child abuse and neglect treatment services by centralizing all 0-5 assessment and treatment services in a Health Department team and by issuing a new RFP for community-based organizations to provide services to the 6-18 year-old population.

 

DISCUSSION:

There will be three phases to the implementation of the restructured child abuse and neglect treatment services. The first phase fulfills and immediate need for assessment and treatment of Child Protective Services (CPS) cases ages 0-5. The second phase will create a coordinated CPS/Health differential response team of children ages 0-5 suspected of being at risk of abuse and neglect. The third phase will expand the first phase effort to work with children and families with high-risk medical problems but who are not a part of the CPS system.

 

The first phase reassigns existing staff in the Health Department and Human Services Agency and adds five positions to a team that will work together as a High-Risk team. The new positions are four Marriage – Family Therapist/ Licensed Clinical Social Worker positions and one Community Program Specialist. Most positions will be in the Mental Health Division, but others will remain in Public Health, Children and Family Services and the Alcohol and Other Drug Program. The specifications for a Child Development Behavioral Specialist are in development and will be brought to your Board during the June budget hearings.

 

The County will continue to spend the same amount for contract services, but will dedicate the services to children ages 6-18, effectively enhancing the amount of services available for that age group. The services for children ages 0-5 are covered by a blend of new funding.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

The total cost of the five new positions in 2004-05 is $190,224. These costs will be covered by Medi-Cal ($39,224), Supportive Therapeutic Options Program (STOP) ($126,000), and Child Welfare System Improvement Plan (SIP) ($25,000). In 2005-06 the cost of these positions, over a full fiscal year, will be $496,005. These costs will be covered by Medi-Cal ($173,602), STOP ($126,000), and SIP ($100,000). The remaining $96,403 is expected to be covered by grants from First 5 San Mateo County and private foundations.