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 Bay Area Community Services for Adult and Older Adult Full-Service Partnership Services Programs
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing an agreement with Bay Area Community Services for adult and older adult full-service partnership services, for the term of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, in an amount not to exceed $5,229,997.
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BACKGROUND:
The cornerstone of the County’s impending Behavioral Health Services Act activities (BHSA) is the delivery of Full-Service Partnership (FSP) services for our highest-risk individuals living with serious mental illness (SMI) and/or co-occurring SMI and moderate-to-severe substance use disorder (SUD). FSP programs are based on clients’ individual needs and goals, with a commitment to do “whatever it takes'' to help clients progress toward recovery, health, and well-being. Services aim to promote housing stability and support clients to remain living in the community.
FSP programs have been shown to decrease psychiatric emergency service visits, hospitalizations, justice system involvement, homelessness, active substance use, and arrests by providing case management, medication management, therapy, social activities, and 24/7 response capability to mitigate evolving situations with participants in the program.
The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) requires that counties include specific language related to the implementation of the CalAIM system in all contracts with FSP providers. Specifically, all FSP contracts covering Medi-Cal services must include mandated program requirements and fee-for-service language going forward.
Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) has continued to engage our FSP providers affected by the new CalAIM requirements, advising them of the considerable changes this will bring to their claims, reporting, and payment processes. BHRS and our FSP providers have had to work closely together to determine the effect of CalAIM on each individual contract to ensure that services can continue to clients through these changes.
DISCUSSION:
In July 2023, BHRS released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Adult and Older Adult FSP Services. Ultimately for this RFP, Telecare and Caminar were recommended to provide services because of their diverse and established community collaborations with peer organizations and housing providers. A proposal was also submitted for this RFP by Bay Area Community Services (BACS) and was selected, but BHRS did not move forward with a recommendation for award due to extended and ongoing negotiations with this new, out-of-county provider.
In May 2025, this Board approved contracts with three firms to provide comprehensive FSP services, with separate programs for Youth FSP services, to be provided by Edgewood Family Services for $11,969,703, and Adult and Older Adult FSP services, to be provided by Telecare Corporation for $16,352,140 and Caminar, Inc., for $5,032,084.
BHRS now desires to proceed with executing a contract with BACS to provide Adult and Older Adult FSP Services due to the need to expand the FSP program. Adult FSP Programs are designed for adults and older adults who have been diagnosed with a severe mental illness. These programs assist with housing, employment, and education, as well as mental health services and integrated treatment for individuals who have co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorder.
The resolution has been reviewed and approved by the County Attorney as to form.
The resolution contains the County’s standard provision allowing amendment of the County’s fiscal obligations by a maximum of $25,000 (in aggregate).
BHRS provides a range of services to promote wellness and recovery to support consumers remaining in the lowest possible level of care. It is anticipated that the percentage of FSP clients who receive FSP services that are maintained at a current or lower level of care will be 80%.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2025-26 Estimated |
FY 2026-27 Projected |
|
Percentage of FSP clients who receive FSP services that are maintained at a current or lower level of care |
80% 68 of 85 participants |
80% 68 of 85 participants |
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
This agreement will positively impact a critically underserved community of behavioral health clients who have severe mental illness and who will benefit from higher levels of care/wraparound services to support their stabilization and recovery. FSP services are a vital resource in our community. Having this agreement will help us to keep clients out of high-cost services such as the emergency room, psychiatric emergency services, and inpatient psychiatric units and out of locked settings such as jail and our mental health rehabilitation centers. FSP services are designed to meet the unique needs of underserved populations, emphasizing trauma and using culturally informed and evidence-based practices to promote long-term well-being.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The term of the agreement is July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028. The amount of the agreement is not to exceed $5,229,997 for the two-year term. Funds in the amount of $2,597,331 are included in the BHRS FY 2026-27 Recommended Budget. Of this amount, the BHSA will fund $376,684, and Federal Medi-Cal will fund $1,920,647. There is no Net County Cost. Similar arrangements will be made for subsequent years.
ATTACHMENT:
RFP Matrix