COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

PROBATION DEPARTMENT

DATE:

October 9, 2009

BOARD MEETING DATE:

October 20, 2009

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Stuart J. Forrest, Chief Probation Officer

SUBJECT:

Agreement with Sentinel Offender Services

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a Resolution:

A) Waiving the Request for Proposal (RFP) process; and

B) Authorizing the President of the Board to execute an Agreement with Sentinel Offender Services (SOS), LLC to provide Electronic Monitoring Program (EMP) services, for the term July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, in the amount of $155,000, of which $87,100 is Net County Cost; and

C) Authorizing the Chief of Probation or his designee is authorized 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.

BACKGROUND:

In June 2004, EMP was developed and implemented by the Probation Department in conjunction with Sheriff’s Department to address the issue of Juvenile Hall and Jail overcrowding. In developing EMP, the Probation Department sought a resource to aid in reducing the Juvenile Hall population, to provide an alternative to “traditional detention” for Juvenile Probation and the Courts, and a program for Adult Probation Bridges Day Treatment program so that participants could be closely monitored during the first phase of the program and allow them to receive much needed services.

The Sheriff’s Department utilizes the program to monitor participants ordered to the Sheriff’s Work program (SWP) in lieu of jail time if so ordered by the Court. The Juvenile EMP program first began with a cap of 30 youth clientele. Additionally the Juvenile Court used the program for both Pre-Disposition youth (youth having pending matters) and Post-Disposition youths as a consequence. EMP is also used as a “step down” for youth completing Camp Glenwood during furlough and Margaret Kemp Girls Camp. The program now maintains approximately 70 to 90 youth daily and approximately 13 to 20 adults from the Bridges Program. Clients pay a participants fee based on a sliding scale not to exceed $12.00.

DISCUSSION:

SOS will provide EMP services for FY 2009-10 and continue to serve the juvenile population as well as adult clients through the Probation Department and the Sheriff’s Office. It is anticipated that the number of participants placed on EMP will increase as the Court continues to utilize the program in a variety of ways. Based on new case law, there have been changes in the Juvenile Division and Court where youth on EMP will no longer receive custody credits, thereby impacting their Maximum Confinement Time (MCT). As a result, the Court has begun using EMP for Informal or Diversion cases pursuant to 654.2 PC and 725 WIC. The Agreement is late due to negotiations.

It is in the County’s best interest to waive the RFP process for FY 2009-10 because SOS provides multiple electronic monitoring systems plus an onsite representative to address service needs to ensure proper monitoring and Probation will need al least a six month transition time between vendors. The Probation Department will conduct an RFP process for FY 2010-11 services and the Sheriff’s Office will enter into an Agreement with SOS independently.

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 reviewed and approved the Board memo and Resolution as to form.

Approval of this Agreement contributes to the Shared Vision 2025 outcome of a Healthy Community by providing EMP services to youth in a non institutional setting for enhanced supervision thus demonstrating reduction in the juvenile hall population.

Performance Measure(s):

Measure

FY 2008-09
Actual

FY 2009-10
Projected

Percent of participants successfully completing the EMP program requirements

92%

92%

FISCAL IMPACT:

The term of this Agreement is July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010. The total obligation of this Agreement is $155,000. Of this amount, $25,000 is the Sheriff’s Office contribution and is included in their FY2009-10 Adopted Budget; $130,000 is the Probation Department’s contribution. Of which, $42,900 is participation fees and $87,100 is Net County Cost. Funds as been included in the FY 2009-10 Adopted Budget.