DATE: December 14, 2021
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: David Luchini, RN, PHN, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT: Retroactive Agreement with Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a retroactive Agreement with Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission for a fatherhood initiative program, effective October 1, 2021 through June 30, 2024, with one optional fifteen-month extension, total not to exceed $828,000.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. Approval of the recommended action will allow the Department of Public Health (Department) to contract with Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission (EOC) to provide fatherhood involvement services to expectant, new and non-custodial fathers or partners of African American mothers. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There are no viable alternative actions. Should your Board not approve the recommended action, the Department would be unable to implement a fatherhood initiative program, which is one requirement under the Perinatal Equity Initiative (PEI) funds that the County received from California Department of Public Health (CDPH). The Department would be unable to fulfill the requirements of the funding agreement with CDPH for implementation of the PEI.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The recommended agreement is retroactive to October 1, 2021. Following the competitive bidding process completed in March 2021, services were to start July 1, 2021 as described in the Request for Proposal (RFP) #21-027 but the time required to prepare and review the recommended agreement did not allow presentation to your Board at an earlier date. The Department worked closely with EOC to negotiate the recommended agreement, which was finalized on October 1, 2021.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The maximum amount of the recommended agreement ($828,000) will be fully offset by PEI and federal Healthy Start grants.
October 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022: $219,000
July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023: $213,000
July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024: $213,000
July 1, 2023 - September 30, 2025: $183,000
Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 5620 FY 2021-22 Adopted Budget will be included in future budget requests for the duration of the contract. There are no pending invoices for services associated with the recommended agreement.
DISCUSSION:
Fresno’s PEI began in December 2018 when CDPH awarded funding to 13 local county health departments to support local perinatal equity efforts to fill gaps in current services and develop a collective impact blueprint to reduce African American infant mortality. The Department has been able to utilize the CDPH funding to facilitate local Perinatal Health Equity Community Advisory Board efforts to discuss strategies to reduce African American infant mortality and partner with local community-based organizations to implement several legislated PEI interventions. One of these PEI interventions is implementing local fatherhood involvement services, which are also required services for the Department’s Babies First program.
On January 15, 2021, the Department released Request for Proposal (RFP) #21-027 for a qualified vendor to implement a fatherhood initiative program in partnership with the Department’s PEI and Babies First programs. The RFP closed on February 18, 2021 and proposals were received from three vendors: California Health Collaborative, Exceptional Parents Unlimited, and EOC. The RFP evaluation team convened on March 16, 2021 and reached a consensus to recommend the contract award to EOC based on demonstrated strength and experience in the provision of the proposed fatherhood initiative program model and work plan, and a fiscally sound cost proposal.
The RFP evaluation team was comprised of five members: three Health Educators from the Department, a Social Worker from the Department of Social Services, and a member from Community Engagement EMBRACE. All members signed and submitted a confidentiality and conflict of interest form.
Approval of the recommended Agreement will allow the Department to partner with EOC to implement a fatherhood initiative program and provide fatherhood involvement services to expectant, new and non-custodial fathers or partners of African American mothers in the County as well as other fathers or partners referred by the Babies First program. Services will include classes on reproductive life planning, parenting skills, and child development; case management support; and referrals to other supportive services in the community.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Agreement with Fresno EOC
CAO ANALYST:
Ron Alexander