DATE: June 20, 2017
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Dawan Utecht, Director of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT: Amendment II to Agreement with WestCare California, Inc.
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute Amendment II to Agreement No. 12-232 with WestCare California, Inc. for a Supervised Overnight Stay Program and related services for adult mentally ill clients discharged from local hospital emergency departments and California Welfare & Institutions Code, Section 5150 designated facilities extending the term by one year from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018 and increasing the maximum by $819,090 to a total of $4,746,509.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will allow for a one-year extension of existing services provided by WestCare California, Inc. while the Department of Behavioral Health finalizes the added services to enhance the scope of work delivered at the supervised overnight stay facility in preparation of a Request for Proposals that will be issued in December 2017. WestCare has provided these services since May 2012 and the agreement is in the 5th year, ending on June 30, 2017. The Department did not finalized the RFP sooner due to continued research to identify additional components and services that will be included in the RFP. The extension will be financed with Mental Health Services Act - Prevention and Early Intervention (MHSA - PEI) funds, with no increase in Net County Cost.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board may approve a shorter extension; however, the Department would need to expedite the RFP process resulting in possible service deficiencies. Additionally, a shortened timeframe may not allow for program transition, recruitment; hiring and training of staff if a different vendor were selected. If the recommended action is not approved, the existing contract will expire on June 30, 2017. Services to clients will cease resulting in mentally ill clients being rerouted to local emergency departments or California Welfare & Institutions Code, Section 5150 (W&IC, §5150) designated facilities. The one-year extension would allow the Department to finalize, release the RFP, select a vendor, and continue services.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The contract maximum cost will increase by $819,090 from $3,927,419 to $4,746,509. The services will continue to be funded with MHSA - PEI funds. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues will be included in the Department of Behavioral Health’s Org 5630 FY 2017-18 Recommended Budget.
DISCUSSION:
The Supervised Overnight Stay Program has successfully increased client access to appropriate mental health services since May 2012. The program provides after-hour overnight stay, 24-hour/7-day-a-week clinical response, peer support, discharge, transportation, and linkage services to appropriate mental health programs. The program serves adults deemed appropriate for the program, pursuant to discharge from designated hospital emergency departments and W&IC, §5150 facilities within the County. During FY 2015-16, 687 unique clients were served and 76% did not have excessive repeat visits to §5150 facilities.
On May 22, 2012, your Board approved Agreement No. 12-232 with WestCare for overnight stay facility and related services for adult mentally ill clients discharged from local hospital emergency departments and §5150 designated facility visits.
On November 4, 2014, your Board approved Amendment I to Agreement No. 12-232 with WestCare for the extension of the existing agreement and the expansion of overnight stay facility services to a 24-hour/7-day-a-week cycle to further address the needs of County Behavioral Health clients and decrease hospital emergency department and §5150 designated facility visits.
The recommended action will allow for the extension of program services for 12-months beyond the current expiration date of June 30, 2017. The extension would allow the Department to continue services at the supervised overnight stay facility while determining the additional services to enhance the scope of work being delivered at the facility. The recommended action will also allow for the transition of the Supervised Overnight Stay Program and provide time for recruitment; hiring and training of staff if a different vendor were selected through the competitive bid process that would be administered during the extension period.
OTHER REVIEWING AGENCIES:
The Behavioral Health Board was advised of the proposed amendment during their May 2017 meeting.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI# 39, November 4, 2014, Amendment I to Agreement No. 12-232
BAI #57, May 22, 2012- Agreement No. 12-232
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Amendment II to Agreement No. 12-232 with Westcare
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia De La Rosa