DATE: February 12, 2019
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Delfino E. Neira, Director, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Agreements for CalWORKs Home Visitation Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Make a finding that it is in the best interest of the County to waive the competitive bidding process consistent with Administrative Policy No. 34 for unusual or extraordinary circumstances for the solicitation of home visitation services for the Department of Social Services; and
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute four (4) Agreements with the following agencies for the provision of home visitation services, effective February 12, 2019 through June 30, 2020, total not to exceed $4,235,000.
Vendor Total Amount
Centro La Familia $815,000
Comprehensive Youth Services $1,600,000
Exceptional Parents Unlimited $1,350,000
Westside Family Preservation Services Network $470,000
REPORT
Approval of the recommended actions will allow the Department to contract with service providers for implementation of the California Department of Social Services’ (CDSS) CalWORKs Home Visiting Initiative (HVI). The CalWORKs HVI pairs new and expectant parents, and parents with children under two, with a trained home visitor who makes regular home visits to provide guidance and coaching using evidence-based curricula, and access to a variety of health and social services. The goal of the program is to support the positive health, development, and well-being outcomes for pregnant and parenting women, families, and infants born into poverty. The HVI aims to expand CalWORKs participant’s educational, economic, and financial capability opportunities to improve the likelihood that they will exit poverty. The cost of these services will be offset with CalWORKs HVI funds, with no Net County Cost. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There is no viable alternative action. If the recommended actions are not approved, the Department will be unable to participate in the CalWORKs HVI, which will prevent vulnerable CalWORKs families from receiving home visitation services.
SUSPENSION OF COMPETITION:
The Department requests to waive the competitive bidding process consistent with Administrative Policy No. 34 for unusual or extraordinary circumstance. The Department seeks to implement the CalWORKs HVI within an established network of contracted Neighborhood Resource Centers (NRCs) positioned throughout the County that currently provide a multitude of services, including, but not limited to child abuse prevention and intervention. It is the intent of the Department to enhance current partnerships with the non-profit agencies operating the NRCs in conjunction with First 5 Fresno County. Those entities are Centro La Familia Advocacy Services, Comprehensive Youth Services, Exceptional Parents Unlimited, and the Westside Family Preservation Services Network. The Department’s vision is that the resource networks that currently exist within the NRCs can be leveraged to add the CalWORKs HVI into the array of services offered to families. The Internal Services Department - Purchasing concurs with the Department’s request to suspend the competitive bidding process.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The maximum amount of the agreements ($4,235,000) will be offset using CalWORKs Home Visitation Initiative funds. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the FY 2018-19 Adopted Budget for Department of Social Services, Org 5610, and will be included in the FY 2019-20 Requested Budget.
DISCUSSION:
Assembly Bill 1811 established the CalWORKs HVI as a voluntary program for the purpose of supporting positive health, development, and well-being outcomes for eligible pregnant and parenting women, families, and infants born into poverty, expanding their future educational, economic, and financial capability opportunities, and improving the likelihood that they will exit poverty.
On August 1, 2018, CDSS released the CalWORKs HVI Request for County Plan (RFCP). The Department submitted their RFCP on September 28, 2018. A final allocation notice from the State was received on December 3, 2018.
The first cycle of funding covers January 1, 2019 through June 30, 2019. The first application cycle operates January 1, 2019-June 30, 2020 (18 months). The next opportunity for application will be available in January 2020 and will cover July 1, 2020-June 30, 2022. It is the intent of the Department to submit an application for this second cycle of funding.
Home visitation services will be provided through ten Neighborhood Resource Centers (NRCs) approved by your Board on March 7, 2017 and October 23, 2018. The NRCs offering the home visiting services will be located in the Fresno zip code areas of 93703, 93727, 93706, and 93705. Services will also be offered in the rural locations of Coalinga, Huron, Kerman, Selma, Sanger, and Reedley. All sites will also serve families in surrounding zip codes. Funding for each NRC was based on the number of eligible clients residing in the zip codes to be served by each respective NRC.
The Department is finalizing a NRC to be located in the 93722 zip code. An associated item to add the CalWORKs HVI to this NRC will be brought to your Board at a later date.
If approved, the recommended Agreements will be effective February 12, 2019 through June 30, 2020. The agreement may be terminated without cause by either party upon providing 30-day advance written notice.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI, #53, October 23, 2018
BAI, #47, March 7, 2017
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Suspension of Competition Form E-PD-048
On file with Clerk - Agreement with Centro La Familia
On file with Clerk - Agreement with Comprehensive Youth Services
On file with Clerk - Agreement with Exceptional Parents Unlimited
On file with Clerk - Agreement with Westside Family Preservation Services Network
CAO ANALYST:
Ronald Alexander