COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Health Department

DATE:

June 30, 2008

BOARD MEETING DATE:

July 8, 2008

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Charlene A. Silva, Director of Health

Louise Rogers, Director, Behavioral Health & Recovery Services

SUBJECT:

Agreement with Children’s Health Council

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a Resolution:

1) Waiving the Request for Proposals requirement to select providers of mental health services authorized by the Mental Health Plan; and

2) Authorizing the President of the Board to execute an Agreement with Children’s Health Council for non-public school-based mental health services for emotionally and behaviorally disturbed children and adolescents and mental health services for developmentally disabled clients authorized by the Mental Health Plan for the term July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009, for a maximum obligation of $534,980; and

3) Authorizing the Director of Health or the Director’s designee to execute contract amendments which modify the County’s maximum fiscal obligation by no more than $25,000 (in aggregate) and/or modify the contract term and/or services so long as the modified term or services is/are within the current or revised fiscal provisions.

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 Agreement contributes to this commitment and goal by providing non-public school-based mental health services for emotionally and behaviorally disturbed children and adolescents, and outpatient mental health services authorized by the Mental Health Plan (MHP).

Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) provides services to consumers of mental health services in order for them to remain in the lowest possible level of care. The provision of intensive mental health services for youth is one established level of care. The services provided through this Agreement contribute to this measure.

Performance Measure:

Measure

FY 2007-08 Estimate

FY 2008-09 Target

Clients maintained at their current or lower level of care.

76%

76%

BACKGROUND:

For over twelve years, the Children’s Health Council (CHC) has provided intensive non-public school-based mental health services for San Mateo County children with complex emotional, behavioral, and developmental problems. Children are placed at CHC by local school districts throughout the County through Individual Education Plan (IEP) team processes. The IEP team consists of the youth’s parent(s) or guardian(s) and representatives from the public school district and BHRS. Under Government Code, Title 1, Division 7, Chapter 26.5, BHRS is responsible for providing mental health services for these clients and as an adjunctive service in this process, does not have authority to select placements for these children. Under the B-1 Administrative Memorandum, these services are exempt from the County Request for Proposals (RFP) requirement.

Since 2006 CHC has provided outpatient mental health services authorized by the MHP. In May 2007 BHRS released an RFP to select agency providers of outpatient mental health services authorized by the MHP. CHC did not respond to the RFP but subsequently agreed to continue to provide these services for developmentally disabled clients. Last year your Board approved a waiver of the RFP requirement for the provision of these outpatient mental health services by CHC.

DISCUSSION:

This Agreement with CHC for FY 2008-09 is for non-public school-based mental health services and managed care outpatient mental health services authorized through the MHP. Services will include medication assessment and treatment; classroom interventions; individual, group, and family therapy; plan development; crisis intervention; and referrals to community services.

We are requesting a two-year waiver of the RFP requirement for mental health services authorized by the MHP. CHC is the only known qualified provider of these services for developmentally disabled clients. An RFP for outpatient mental health services authorized by the MHP will be issued prior to FY 2010-11.

The Agreement has been reviewed and approved by County Counsel and Risk Management. The contractor has assured compliance with the County's Contractor Employee Jury Service Ordinance, as well as all other contract provisions that are required by County ordinance and administrative memoranda, including but not limited to insurance, hold harmless, non-discrimination and equal benefits. This Agreement is on the Continuing Resolution

FISCAL IMPACT:

The term of the Agreement is July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009. CHC was granted a three percent Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) for FY 2008-09 which is reflected in the Agreement maximum of $534,980. Of that amount Medi-Cal will fund $90,000 of the costs; Medicare will fund $10,000; Healthy Kids will fund $13,049; private payors will fund $43,497; and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funds and SB 90 funding from the State will cover $365,765. The Net County Cost is $12,669 for the COLA. Funds for this Agreement have been included in the BHRS tentatively Adopted FY 2008-09 Budget.