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 Jefferson Union High School District for Mental Health Services
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing an agreement with Jefferson Union High School District for mental health services, for the term of July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027, in an amount not to exceed $2,476,987.
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BACKGROUND:
The Daly City Youth Health Center (DCYHC) is a School Linked Health Center for the Jefferson Union High School District (JUHSD) and operates as a satellite facility of the San Mateo Medical Center (SMMC). The schools served within this district are Jefferson, Oceana, Terra Nova, Thornton, and Westmoor High Schools. Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) has contracted with JUHSD for services at DCYHC, and BHRS currently provides youth with outpatient mental health services, and Non Specialty and Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS) in Pacifica, Daly City, Colma, Brisbane, and parts of South San Francisco, as well as prevention and early intervention services. SMMC funds all primary care services provided at DCYHC. DCYHC also receives funding from various grants, partnerships, and contracts with the Health Plan of San Mateo (HPSM).
BHRS has a separate agreement with JUHSD for the provision of Alcohol and Other Drug prevention services.
DISCUSSION:
Through this agreement, DCYHC will provide mental health services to Seriously Emotionally Disturbed/System of Care youth in the DCYHC clinic and on JUHSD campuses. These services will allow students and primary care patients opportunities to engage in mental health treatment with early detection and referrals from school personnel and primary care providers. The agreement also provides Brief Intervention work in the schools to identify and provide early interventions to prevent youth from developing more severe mental health problems, in addition to providing an alternative to suspension if a student is exhibiting behavioral challenges in school. The DCYHC behavioral health program can serve up to 200 youth and young adults under this contract, which allows for catchment of Medi-Cal Specialty Mental Health eligible youth that may not otherwise be identified or seek treatment through the existing BHRS referral pathways. DCYHC is uniquely positioned to provide these youth services.
Under Administrative Memo B-1, agreements with other public entities, including governments, universities, schools, or other organizations acting as governmental agencies, are exempt from the County’s competitive Request for Proposals process.
The agreement and resolution have been reviewed and approved by the County Attorney as to form.
Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) provides a range of services to promote wellness and recovery and to support consumers remaining in the lowest possible level of care. The provision of outpatient mental health services is one established level of care. It is anticipated that 99% of clients who receive services through this agreement will be maintained at a current or lower level of care.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2024-25 Estimated |
FY 2025-26 Projected |
|
Percentage of clients who receive services through this agreement that are maintained at current or lower level of care |
99% 200 clients |
99% 200 clients |
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
Suspension data across San Mateo County shows that the disciplinary policies of schools tend to impact Latino students more than other students. In Fiscal Year 2023-2024, there were 288 total clients served by DCYHC, 197 being referred by the primary care clinic and 91 from the schools (49% Latine, 11% Filipino, and a combination of other races and ethnicities). This contract expands the ability to serve an additional 75-100 youth and families at one time. Many of these youth and families are unlikely to seek services on their own due to a range of barriers, including limited understanding of how to navigate available resources, stigma, and other complex factors.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The term of the amended agreement is July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027. The agreement is not to exceed $2,476,987 for a two-year term, of which $1,219,650 is included in the BHRS 2025-26 Recommended Budget. Of that amount, 2011 Realignment will fund $530,606, Medi-Cal will fund $609,825, and the Mental Health Services Act will fund $79,219. There is no Net County Cost.