DATE: January 7, 2020
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Dawan Utecht, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT: Retroactive Master Agreement with Licensed Providers for the Provision of Telemedicine Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a retroactive Master Agreement with Licensed Providers for the provision of Telemedicine Services for severely mentally ill adults, children and adolescents effective January 1, 2020, not to exceed four and a half years, which includes a two and a half year base contract and two optional one-year extensions, total not to exceed $33,101,120.
2. Authorize the Director, Department of Behavioral Health, to add or delete licensed Providers to the recommended Master Agreement.
REPORT
Approval of the first recommended action will allow the County to provide telemedicine psychiatry and related mental health services through the use of video conferencing to severely mentally ill adults, children and adolescents to minimize the risk of hospitalizations. Approval of the second recommended action will allow the Director of the Department of Behavioral Health to add or delete licensed Providers to the recommended Master Agreement with no Net County Cost.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
The non-approval of the recommended actions would prevent the department from providing severely mentally ill adults, children and adolescents with telemedicine psychiatry and related mental health services. This action may result in individuals requiring costly acute inpatient psychiatric services.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The recommended agreement is retroactive to January 1, 2020 due to extended contract negotiations.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The maximum cost of the recommended Agreement is $33,101,120 and will be financed with Mental Health Realignment funds, Mental Health Services Act funds and Medi-Cal funds. Actual costs will be determined by actual services provided and will not exceed $3,452,800 for January 1, 2020 through June 30, 2020. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are available in the Behavioral Health Org 5630 FY 2019-20 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION:
Telemedicine is an innovative method for the provision of medication support services. It involves the use of video conferencing between the physician and the patient. The provision of medication support services to the County’s mentally ill adult and child adolescent population is often necessary to alleviate the symptoms of mental illness. Medication support services are essential to individuals’ treatment plans that are designed to stabilize their mental illness. The recommended Master Agreement would allow for the provision of medication support services to Fresno County’s mentally ill adult and child adolescent population through the utilization of telemedicine provided by licensed providers. Medication Support services provided through the recommended agreement consist of 1) evaluation of the need for psychotropic medication, 2) evaluation of clinical effectiveness and side effects, and 3) prescription of psychotropic medication.
Through the terms of the recommended Master Agreement, actual cost will be determined by usage but will not exceed $33,101,120 over the entire length of the Agreement. The recommended Master Agreement also includes language which allows for the Department’s Director to add or delete licensed providers without affecting the compensation paid to other providers.
Through the County’s Purchasing Division, Request for Proposal (RFP) #20-013 for Telemedicine Services was released on September 20, 2019 and closed on October 16, 2019 with six (6) bids received. Bidders at the evaluation panel reached a consensus to recommend award for the contract to Iris Telehealth Medical Group and American Telepsychiatrists.
Recommendation for the award was based on both Iris Telehealth Medical Group and American Telepsychiatrists’ thorough knowledge of the services they would be providing. As the incumbent vendor, American Telepsychiatrists has been working with the Department since early 2010, lending to a seamless transition to the resulting new contract. Iris Telehealth Medical Group currently has providers delivering services in Madera County and is familiar with the desired services.
OTHER REVIEWING AGENCIES:
The Mental Health Board has been made aware of the recommended agreement at its November 20, 2019 Board Meeting.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Master Agreement for Telemedicine Services
CAO ANALYST:
Ron Alexander