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: Amendment to the Agreement with The John W. Gardner Center for Planning and Evaluation Services
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Adopt a resolution authorizing an amendment to the agreement with The John W. Gardner Center for Youth and their Communities of the Stanford University Graduate School of Education to continue to plan and evaluate the Pilot Program, linking police officers with mental health clinicians, increasing the amount by $392,189 to an amount not to exceed $977,140, with no change to the agreement term.
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BACKGROUND:
In order to address the ongoing need for immediate mental health services in the field within local communities, the Daly City, Redwood City, San Mateo, and South San Francisco Police Departments have collaborated with San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) to develop a co-response model that partners sworn law enforcement officers with a licensed mental health clinician within a first-responder framework. A key goal of these partnerships involves the combined expertise and resources of both disciplines to best serve the public in a timely manner.
The model, now referred to as the Community Wellness Crisis Response Team (CWCRT), calls for one mental health clinician to be embedded in each of the four city law enforcement agencies. This clinician serves as a supplement to law enforcement’s response to calls for service involving individuals experiencing a mental health crisis.
In February 2021, this Board approved an agreement with The John W. Gardner Center for Youth and their Communities of the Stanford University Graduate School of Education (The Gardner Center) to assist in planning and evaluating the CWCRT Pilot Program for the term of February 1, 2021, through March 31, 2023, in an amount not to exceed $259,869.
In March 2024, this Board approved an amendment to extend the term through December 31, 2026, and increase the amount by $325,082 to an amount not to exceed $584,951.
DISCUSSION:
San Mateo County continues to expand the CWCRT program to include additional cities: Under this amendment, The Gardner Center will align research design to the current CWCRT program’s strategy, planning, and refinement process. The Gardner Center will also assess implementation of the co-response model and conduct a quantitative outcomes study that documents program participation and associated changes resulting from the expansion program implementation.
This amendment will provide the necessary resources to complete the study of the CWCRT Pilot Cities Programs, as well as the expansion cities. The full evaluation by The Gardner Center will include assessing implementation, defining, and designing key elements and strategies for program improvement and replication, and a quantitative outcomes study.
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 amendment and resolution have been reviewed and approved by the County Attorney as to form.
It is anticipated that 100% of reporting/evaluation for the Pilot Program and presentation of the final report will be completed by The Gardner Center.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2024-25 Estimated |
FY 2025-26 Projected |
|
Percentage of reporting/evaluation for the Pilot Program and presentation of the final report completed by The Gardner Center |
100% Phase 1 and 2 |
100% Phase 3 and 4 |
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
Services provided by this contract will positively impact the emotional well-being, psychological stability, and safety of our residents. The evaluations and report outs detailing the linking of police officers with mental health clinicians will further reduce unnecessary psychiatric emergency admissions, inpatient hospitalizations, and incarcerations by bringing the crisis response to anyone experiencing a behavioral health crisis any time of the day, wherever they are within our county, in a compassionate, culturally, and linguistically appropriate, and timely manner.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The term of the amended agreement is February 1, 2021 through December 31, 2026. This amendment increases the agreement amount by $392,189 to an amount not to exceed $977,140 for the 59-month term. Funds in the amount of $392,189 are included in the BHRS FY 2025-26 Recommended Budget. Of the FY 2025-26 amount, it is anticipated that 100% will be funded with departmental one-time revenue. Similar arrangements will be made for future years.