Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Louise F. Rogers, Chief, San Mateo County Health
Jei Africa, Director, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services
Subject: Agreement with ALAS: Ayudando Latinos a Sonar
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing an agreement with ALAS: Ayudando Latinos A Soñar for multi-cultural wellness program services on the Coastside, for the term of September 1, 2024 through June 30, 2026, in an amount not to exceed $1,221,507.
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BACKGROUND:
Since 2020, ALAS: Ayudando Latinos A Soñar (ALAS) has provided Multi-Cultural Wellness Program (MCWP) services for behavioral health clients/consumers and their family members in the Coastside, serving from Half Moon Bay to Pescadero. The current agreement with ALAS for these services is for the term July 1, 2023 through August 31, 2024.
In February 2024, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) released a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking an agency to provide MCWP services for behavioral health clients/consumers and their family members in the Coastside, from Half Moon Bay to Pescadero. ALAS responded to the RFP and was ultimately elevated to provide these services, in part due to its long and extensive experience serving this target population.
DISCUSSION:
The MCWP will primarily target Coastside low-income, marginalized groups including Latino immigrant families and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ+) youth. Poor, immigrant Latino families in the Coastside struggle with the high cost of living, a need to travel long distances for affordable goods and higher education, disengagement in public services, fear, discrimination, and other barriers to accessing services.
ALAS shall provide culturally responsive community-based mental health and substance use services and programming for marginalized ethnic, linguistic, and cultural communities in the Coastside region. Specifically, ALAS will provide mental health counseling, linkages to more extensive treatment as appropriate, peer and family support groups, psychoeducation and prevention workshops, recovery-focused workshops, substance use assessments and linkages, outreach and engagement, community capacity building, and recreational, social and enrichment activities. Under this agreement, these services will be staffed by a program manager, administrative assistant, clinical director, clinical supervisor, clinician, case manager, substance abuse counselor, community engagement coordinator, and executive director.
The resolution contains the County’s standard provisions 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.
BHRS provides a range of services to support consumers in their efforts towards wellness and recovery. The provision of MCWP services to assist consumers with connecting to services addressing their needs and supporting wellness is one established form of support. It is anticipated that no fewer than 470 new clients will be served through short-term mental health services, case management and/or support groups.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2024-25 Estimated |
FY 2025-26 Projected |
|
Number of new clients served through short-term mental health services, case management and/or support groups |
390 new clients |
≥470 new clients |
EQUITY IMPACT
The MCWP is dedicated to identifying and reaching the most vulnerable communities on the Coastside, employing a culturally sensitive approach to service delivery. The primary focus lies in supporting marginalized children, youth, and adults, primarily the Latino (95%) and who prefer or exclusively speak Spanish (90%), from the local rural Coastside, immigrant farmworker, and refugee communities. These groups have historically had limited access to services. In FY 2022-23, the MCWP served 140 unduplicated clients through therapy and/or case management services and engaged over 2,500 individuals through its core programs of cultural arts, social services, immigration, food pantry, and farmworker outreach. MCWP has bilingual and bicultural staff and access language services to meet the various needs of the communities they serve. The implementation of MCWP has increased resources at school sites, supporting social and emotional learning. In addition, it has also increased resources to the older adult population who are often isolated.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The term of this agreement is September 1, 2024, through June 30, 2026. The amount of this agreement is not to exceed $1,221,507 for the twenty-two month term. For FY 2024-25, the maximum payment is $555,231, and funds in that amount are included in the BHRS FY 2024-25 Recommended Budget. Of that amount, 100% will be funded by the Mental Health Services Act. There is no Net County Cost.
Attachments:
RFP Matrix