DATE: June 24, 2025
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Sanja Bugay, Director, Department of Social Services
Kirk Haynes, Chief Probation Officer, Probation Department
SUBJECT: Agreement with Avertest LLC, dba Averhealth for Random Drug Testing Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Agreement with Avertest LLC, dba Averhealth for drug testing services, effective July 1, 2025, not to exceed five consecutive years, which includes a three-year base contract and two optional one-year extensions, total not to exceed $2,158,928.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will allow the Department of Social Services (DSS) to continue the provision of random drug testing services to individuals involved in the DSS’ Child Welfare Services (CWS) system and individuals involved in the Department of Probation (Probation). For DSS, drug testing services are court-ordered and are a valuable tool that contributes to the safety of children and to the sobriety and recovery of parents with substance-use issues. For Probation, drug testing assists in monitoring a client’s drug use and/or recovery to increase public safety and meet compliance with court ordered terms and conditions or probation. Services will be provided primarily in Fresno, at 2113 Merced Street (District 3) and additional sites will be located in the rural areas. The item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your board not approve the recommended action, the Department’s capacity to meet court-ordered random drug tests for parents will be eliminated and will adversely impact the safety of children involved in CWS. In addition, Probation would likely be required to return to providing in-house drug testing services, which creates greater cost and liability to the County than the present cost of outsourcing these services.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. If approved, the maximum cost for the five-year Agreement is $2,158,928 with $1,576,901 allocated to DSS and $582,027 allocated to Probation. DSS’s allocation will be offset with Child Welfare Realignment funds and Probation’s allocations will be offset with Net County Cost. Sufficient appropriations and revenues will be included in the FY 2025-26 Recommended Budget for DSS Org 5610 and Probation Org 3430 and will be included in subsequent budgets for the duration of the agreement.
DISCUSSION:
Drug testing is a tool used to provide empirical data to social workers, substance abuse specialists, treatment providers, and the Juvenile Court regarding an individual’s drug use and progress in treatment. Drug testing assists the Departments with determining appropriate therapeutic interventions, assessing the progress of sobriety and recovery, and increasing child and community safety. Random drug testing delivers evidence of a parent’s status regarding their drug use to enhance treatment services and successfully address substance use. It provides tangible measures to notate a client’s adherence to or violation of the terms of their court ordered probation. The Departments’ current agreement for random drug testing services expires June 30, 2025.
A Request for Proposal (RFP # 25-044) was issued February 3, 2025, for a randomized drug testing program and closed on March 13, 2025. Approximately 38 potential bidders were notified through Public Purchasing. Five responses were received and identified as responsive to the RFP. Those five responses included Averhealth, Cordant Health Solutions, Corrective Solutions, Nao Medical and Phamatech. A three-member review committee comprised of a Deputy Director and Division Chief from the Department of Social Services and an Assistant Deputy Chief Probation Officer from the Department of Probation reviewed the responses and recommended Avertest LLC, dba Averhealth for funding. Averhealth’s proposal was considered to be the most responsive and met all the requested services best suited to the County’s needs. Their services are client-centered and trauma-informed, and their cost proposal was among the most cost effective of all the bidders. Additionally, Averhealth demonstrated strong organizational readiness and experience providing this service. They are ready to provide availability of a testing site in metro Fresno, in addition to services offered in the rural areas around Clovis, Coalinga, Selma, Kingsburg, Sanger, Kerman and Reedley.
Averhealth will manage the randomized drug testing process and communicate with DSS and Probation regarding test results for approximately 300-350 participants per month. Averhealth will deliver a drug testing program that prioritizes accuracy, accessibility and client accountability by utilizing DSS and Probation’s requested five and six-panel parameters. This will be accomplished through their flexible and accessible testing options, secure and reliable testing methods, data-driven program support and experienced staff. In addition, specific drugs within each panel will be on a rotated randomized schedule to provide the broadest panel coverage possible. The enhancement of rotating panels is an evidence-based practice that provides a more robust, truly random testing regimen that increases the client’s chances of achieving recovery. All services rendered will be on a fee for service basis.
Upon approval, the recommended Agreement will be effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028 and includes the option to renew for two additional 12-month terms based on satisfactory performance with written notice by the Department Director or designee and Contractor. Termination without cause requires a 30-day written notice from County, County’s DSS Director or designee or Contractor.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Agreement with Avertest LLC, dba Averhealth
CAO ANALYST:
Ronald Alexander