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 f...
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