DATE: June 20, 2017
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Dawan Utecht, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT: Retroactive Amendment to Master Agreement with Qualified Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Service Providers
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a retroactive Amendment I to Master Agreement No. 15-256 with qualified non-emergency medical transportation service providers for mental health clients, effective April 1, 2017 with no change in term to June 30, 2020, and increasing the maximum by $350,000 to a total of $850,000.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will allow the Department of Behavioral Health to increase transportation services for mental health clients. The recommended amendment increases transportation availability and provides the Department with the flexibility to provide authorized client transportation services both within the County and to/from out-of-county mental health facilities on an as needed basis. The services are funded with Mental Health Services Act - Community Services and Supports (MHSA - CSS), with no increase in Net County Cost.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
1. Your Board may choose to adjust the amount of the recommended amendment, which could require a corresponding adjustment of service hours.
2. Your Board may also choose to utilize County drivers only, resulting in possible service delays due to the limited number of County drivers available to the Department for these services and only during the hours of 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., Monday through Friday, at a higher cost, and increased liability of transportation services to the County.
Non-approval of the recommended amendment will impact existing agreements with other mental health service providers (i.e., Merced County Psychiatric Health Facility and Kaweah Delta Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital) that require the County to provide transportation services to and from their respective facilities. Administrative cost increases would also result due to patients potentially having to wait longer periods for transportation.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The recommended amendment is retroactive to April 1, 2017. The level of transportation services needed by Department from the contracted transportation providers has exceeded initial projections due to increased long-distance out-of-county transportation of mental health clients to and from facilities.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The recommended amendment will increase the FY 2016-17 annual maximum by $50,000 to $150,000; the term’s maximum compensation amount will increase 70% ($350,000) to $850,000. The recommended amendment will be funded with MHSA - CSS funds. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 5630 FY 2016-17 Adopted Budget and will be included in budget requests for the duration of the term. Actual costs will be based on actual services provided.
DISCUSSION:
On June 16, 2015, your Board approved Master Agreement No. 15-256 with qualified non-emergency medical transportation service providers for approved mental health clients who do not have the ability or support to travel to or from the County for treatment. The services include: transportation for clients discharged from hospital facilities outside of the County to locations within the County, picking up or delivering clients to a residence or alternative location as per facility discharge instructions.
The locations of designated facilities outside the County may include, but are not limited to, Visalia, Bakersfield, Merced, Ventura, and Sacramento. The transportation services are available on a 24-hour / 7-day a week basis to fill the Department requests within a specified time frame dependent on the day of request. The transportation services include mentally ill clients who may have medical needs, wheelchairs, walkers, or other medical devices.
Upon approval by your Board, the recommended amendment would solely provide the Department access to a higher volume of services. All other terms and conditions of the Master Agreement remain unchanged.
OTHER REVIEWING AGENCIES:
The Fresno County Behavioral Health Board was informed of the recommended amendment in May 2017.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #44, June 15, 2015 - Master Agreement No. 15-256
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Amendment I to Master Agreement No. 15-256 with Qualified Non- Emergency Medical Transportation Service Providers
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia De La Rosa