Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Colleen Chawla, Chief, San Mateo County Health
Jei Africa, Director, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services
Subject: Agreement with Los Gatos Therapy Center for Comprehensive Treatment Services for Clients Diagnosed with Eating Disorders
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing an agreement with Los Gatos Therapy Center for comprehensive treatment services for clients diagnosed with eating disorders, for the term of June 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027, in an amount not to exceed $1,400,000.
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BACKGROUND:
Since 2023, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) has contracted with Los Gatos Therapy Center (LGTC) to provide eating disorder services to clients in San Mateo County. BHRS identified that there was a need to fill a service gap for severely mentally ill youth and adolescent clients that were diagnosed with moderate to severe eating disorders, as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illnesses (5th edition) and required a more specialized and intensive level of treatment. Moreover, no BHRS clinic or program has effectively addressed the comprehensive behavioral, dietary, and medical needs associated with moderate to severe eating disorders. In response to this gap, BHRS reached out to several local providers. LGTC, Sunol Hills, LLC, The Healthy Teen Project, and Center for Discovery were the only providers that met the requirements to provide comprehensive and specialized treatment for mental health clients diagnosed with eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, and eating disorders not otherwise specified.
In October 2024, BHRS entered into an agreement with LGTC for the term of October 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, for a maximum amount of $200,000.
DISCUSSION:
Through this agreement, LGTC will continue to provide the intensive Outpatient Partial Hospitalization Program, outpatient treatment services, partial hospitalization program, and residential treatment services for severely mentally ill adults and youth clients with moderate to severe eating disorders who need specialized treatment. There is a continued need for these specialized services to support clients with eating disorders in their recovery.
In San Mateo County, BHRS has seen little interest for providers to offer eating disorder treatment services at a reduced rate for the publicly insured, since providers can receive higher reimbursement on a cash basis in the private market, with none of the required paperwork or payment wait times. Only LGTC and 3-Prong (Vertuity) have in-county offices. There are other providers all located outside of San Mateo County that provide eating disorder treatment services, and BHRS has contracted with each to maintain an adequate provider network. This allows BHRS to provide eating disorder treatment services in the communities in which our clients reside.
BHRS will enter into agreements with any qualified provider for these eating disorder services. Under Administrative Memorandum B-1, agreements made with any qualified provider for mental health services are exempt from the solicitation process.
The resolution contains the County’s standard provision allowing amendment of the County’s fiscal obligations by a maximum of $25,000 (in aggregate).
The agreement and resolution have been reviewed and approved by the
County Attorney as to form.
It is anticipated that 75% of clients successfully completing the program will be served at a lower level of care for up to one year after being discharged.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2024-25 Estimated |
FY 2025-26 Projected |
|
Percentage of clients successfully completing the program that are served at a lower level of care for up to one year after being discharged |
80% 4 clients |
75% 10 clients |
*FY 24-25 was a 6-month agreement, we anticipate more clients to be served in FY 25-26
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
The purpose of this agreement is to deliver comprehensive behavioral health and medical services to the Medi-Cal population struggling with moderate to severe eating disorders in San Mateo County. The program’s goal is to meet the unique needs of underserved populations, emphasizing trauma and culturally informed and evidence-based practices to promote long-term well-being. LGTC works to improve the social-emotional development and prevent the long-term trauma effects of marginalized adolescents and families by reducing medical and psychiatric re-hospitalization.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The term of the agreement is June 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027. The amount of the agreement is not to exceed $1,400,000 for the two-year term. Funds in the amount of $700,000 are included in the BHRS FY 2025-26 Recommended Budget. Similar arrangements will be made for future years. Of the FY 25-26 amount, it is anticipated that $700,000 will be funded by 1991 Realignment funds and applicable third-party insurance. There is not Net County Cost associated with this agreement.