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COUNTY OF SAN MATEO
Inter-Departmental Correspondence
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Human Services Agency
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DATE:
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October 16, 2008
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BOARD MEETING DATE:
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October 28, 2008
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SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:
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None
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VOTE REQUIRED:
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Majority
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TO:
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Honorable Board of Supervisors
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FROM:
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Beverly Beasley Johnson, J.D., Director, Human Services Agency
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SUBJECT:
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Amendment to the Agreement with Edgewood Center for Children and Families for Family Finding Pilot Program
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RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a Resolution:
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A. Waiving the Request for Proposal (RFP) process;
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B. Authorizing the execution of an Amendment to the Agreement with Edgewood Center for Children and Families (ECCF) to provide a Family Finding Pilot Program, extending the term by six (6) months to June 30, 2009 and increasing the amount by $161,316 to $185,016, with $112,921 Net County Cost; and
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C. Authorizing the Director of the Human Services Agency 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.
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VISION ALIGNMENT:
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Commitment: Ensure basic health and safety for all.
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Goal 8: Help vulnerable people – the aged, disabled, mentally ill, at-risk youth and
others – achieve a better quality of life.
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The Amendment to the Agreement with Edgewood contributes to this commitment and goal by facilitating permanence for youth.
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Performance Measure(s):
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Measure
FY 2008-09
Target
Number of youth who self report a positive new connection with a family member or adult mentor.
10*
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*Baseline data will be collected for FY 2008-09 from this pilot program.
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BACKGROUND:
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On June 19, 2008, the Human Services Agency (HSA) executed Agreement Number 74200-08-D022 to conduct Family Finding Best Practice through research and its identifying strategies to help foster youth find and maintain lifelong connections and support. While younger youth in foster care are often actively engaged with family, older youth, who remain in foster care for longer lengths of time, can become estranged or disconnected with previously important adults in their lives. Kinship care may be an option if an available kinship is identified. In-depth searches for previously unidentified or disconnected kin or mentoring adults may provide youth with additional options to establish permanent connections and exit from foster care. The goal of Family Finding is permanency, through connections, reunification, guardianship, adoption or other form of permanent commitment.
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DISCUSSION:
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This Amendment with Edgewood is to add additional funds for a Family Finding Pilot Program which will provide a forum to increase permanency for foster youth by locating and facilitating adult connections and help develop emotional, legal and/or physical permanency for foster youth. ECCF has experience in finding and maintaining permanent homes for foster youth with relatives and non-relative extended family members, and works with other counties to find permanency which is critical to the success of the Family Finding Pilot Program. Additionally the pilot program will provide a Coordinator that will work with a population of 40 foster youth, ages 10-17. The Coordinator will maintain files, interview youth and families, conduct extensive nationwide searches, facilitating contact and offering ongoing forums for family permanency, communication and planning.
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The Board of Supervisors is being asked to waive the RFP because Edgewood Center for Children and Families is currently the only agency in the County providing kinship support services to families which is critical to the success of the Family Finding Pilot Program
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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. County Counsel has approved this Amendment as to form and Risk Management has approved the Contractor’s insurance.
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FISCAL IMPACT:
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The term of this Agreement is April 7, 2008 through June 30, 2009. The amended portion of this Agreement is $161,316. Of this amount, $48,395 is funded through Child Welfare Services Funds and $112,921 is Net County Cost. Appropriations have been included in the Adopted Budget for FY 2008-09.
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