COUNTY OF SAN MATEO
Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Probation Department

DATE:

October 17, 2008

BOARD MEETING DATE:

November 4, 2008

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

Not Required

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Loren Buddress, Chief Probation Officer

SUBJECT:

Agreement with Youth and Family Enrichment Services

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a resolution:

1) Waiving the request for proposal process requirement for the provision of mental health, substance abuse, and family counseling services to adolescent females detained in San Mateo County juvenile institutions;

2) Authorizing the President of the Board of Supervisors to execute an Agreement with Youth and Family Enrichment Services to provide these services for the term of July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2009 for a maximum obligation of $181,080, for which there is no Net County Cost.

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Ensure basic health and safety for all.

Goal 7: Maintain and enhance the public safety of all residents and visitors.

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 these goals by providing mental health, substance abuse, and family treatment services to adolescent females committed to Margaret J. Kemp Girls Camp (Camp Kemp), or temporarily residing at San Mateo County’s Juvenile Hall.

Performance Measure(s):

Measure

FY 2007-08
Actual

FY 2008-09
Target

Percentage of participating families that complete the 16-week Multi-Family Group education and counseling class

90%

90%

Percentage of girls who self-report alcohol use six months after graduation from Camp Kemp (use as defined as use within last 30 days)

11.1%

10%

BACKGROUND:

The Probation Department operates a cluster of services for delinquent girls under the heading of the GIRLS Program (Gaining Independence and Reclaiming Lives Successfully). The first phase of the program involves a commitment of 180 days to the Margaret J. Kemp Camp for Girls, a residential facility located in a non-secure area near the Youth Services Center. This phase involves intensive treatment for substance abuse, mental health issues, and trauma in the form of individual, group, and family counseling. In addition, girls receive decision making, cognitive skills, and independent living skills training, as well as mentoring, yoga/emotion regulation training, and art therapy. Following a stay at Camp Kemp, girls transition to the community and receive intensive probation supervision and treatment services. If they are successful, they graduate to the third phase of the program with a less-intensive level of supervision. Completion of all three phases of the GIRLS Program can take up to 18 months. To date, 138 girls have received services through Camp Kemp. A grant from the federal Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) to the Human Services Agency is used to fund services in the non-custody (community) phases of the program. The Department has previously absorbed the costs of the Phase I in-custody services, and will now utilize Youthful Offender Block Grant funding to fully offset the cost of these services in this latest iteration of the agreement.

DISCUSSION:

Youth and Family Enrichment Services (YFES) provides a number of services to girls at Camp Kemp. In collaboration with the County Mental Health Department and the non-profit contractor Rape Trauma Services, YFES provides mental health assessment and individual psychological counseling, two of the backbones of the Camp program. In addition, YFES facilitates the Camp’s bi-weekly, 16-session intervention program for youth and their families, which concentrates on mending relationships, increasing communication, and empowering parents to be effective parents. YFES has provided these services since the Camp opened in 2006. This agreement is being submitted late due to current administrative capacity issues with regard to contracts development and monitoring in the Probation Administration Division.

Probation is requesting a waiver of the County’s Request for Proposal process requirement for these services as YFES was the specified provider in the CSAT grant for non-custody services, and a key element of girls’ success is continuity of care.

In addition, Probation is requesting the Board to approve an Agreement with YFES for the term July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2009 at a cost of $9,000 per month for FY 2008-09, $9,270 per month for July 1, 2007-October 31, 2008 and $4,500 per month for November 1, 2008-June 30, 2009. The rate in effect during the final eight months of the agreement reflects a reduction in services commensurate with the projected population at the Camp (approximately 12-15 girls). 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.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The Agreement’s maximum obligation is $181,080. Funding from the California Department of Juvenile Justice (Youthful Offender Block Grant) will be used to fully offset the costs of these services, and there is no Net County Cost.