DATE: September 10, 2024
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Susan L. Holt, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT: Agreement with State Center Community College District (Fresno City College)
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Agreement with State Center Community College District (Fresno City College), to provide students with supervised clinical and field experience through County programs, effective September 10, 2024, not to exceed five consecutive years, which includes a three-year base contract and two optional one-year extensions ($0).
REPORT
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended action, which will allow for required clinical and field experiences for students enrolled at Fresno City College through the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH). Participation will be completed without monetary compensation and Fresno City College will obtain the requisite insurance for all student interns. The recommended agreement is mutually beneficial, as a portion of the trained students may return to the County as employees. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board not approve the recommended action, the County will not be able to accept student interns from Fresno City College.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. This is a zero-dollar agreement. Fresno City College will provide worker’s compensation and professional liability insurance coverage for all students who participate in the program.
DISCUSSION:
On August 22, 2017, your Board approved Agreement No. 17-432 with Fresno City College for student clinical and field experience from FYs 2017-18 through 2019-20 with two optional one-year extensions. DBH utilized this agreement for student placements primarily from the college’s Registered Nurse Program and Licensed Vocational Nurse Program.
At the time that the agreement termed after its second one-year extension in FY 2021-22, DBH did not have the infrastructure to support student clinical and field placement in the programs. DBH is currently in a position to support these programs and is reestablishing its nursing internship programs and agreement. In addition to the other programs previously subject to Agreement 17-432, this agreement also adds federal, state, and local grant programs in order to support placement for Fresno City College students participating in a grant program that could be applicable to DBH.
The opportunity to provide clinical and field experience to students attending Fresno City College enhances services for DBH persons served, as well as provides the students with an awareness of the rewards working with the public mental health system and Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System populations.
The recommended agreement satisfies all applicable vendor insurance requirements stipulated in County agreements, as determined by Risk Management. It further requires Fresno City College to provide each student with professional liability insurance which insures that students against liability stemming from negligence or other issues that may arise from providing or failing to provide professional services.
The recommended agreement includes mutual hold harmless clauses and stipulates that student interns are not employees of the County and will not replace the County workforce. In addition to other applicable program and security training, student interns will be required to complete applicable County training for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and to meet all HIPAA requirements to access and use Private Health Information (PHI).
There is no monetary compensation associated with the recommended agreement. Upon approval by your Board, the proposed agreement would be effective upon execution through September 9, 2027, with two optional one-year extensions if satisfactory performance expectations, as outlined in the agreement, are met and upon written agreement of both parties. Through the recommended agreement, the County, College, or Department Director, or designee, can provide written notice of non-renewal no later than 60 days prior to the close of the initial three-year base contract and for termination without cause upon 30-days advance written notice of the intention to terminate.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #27, August 22, 2017
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Agreement with Fresno City College
CAO ANALYST:
Ronald Alexander