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 StarVista for Law Enforcement Co-responding Behavioral Health Crisis Services - Cities of East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and San Bruno
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing an agreement with StarVista for law enforcement co-responding behavioral health crisis services for the cities of East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and San Bruno, for the term of January 1, 2024 through June 30, 2026, in an amount not to exceed $2,017,266.
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BACKGROUND:
For over 20 years, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) has contracted with StarVista for mental health services, a mobile crisis response team for youth, Girls’ Juvenile Court services, child abuse treatment services, the Early Childhood Community Team, substance use disorder treatment services, and the Community Wellness Crisis Response Team (CWCRT) for community members experiencing mental health crisis.
On January 12, 2020, this Board approved the resolution to enter into the Pilot Program of CWCRT, a partnership among four City Police Departments (Daly City, South San Francisco, San Mateo, and Redwood City) and the County, to embed one mental health clinician in each of those cities’ police departments to provide a co-response to crisis calls involving mental health issues. The County expanded its contract with StarVista and its crisis intervention services to include the provision of mental health clinicians for the CWCRTs. Under the Pilot Program, StarVista clinicians assisted in the first response by providing early intervention, crisis de-escalation, 5150 evaluations, involuntary holds, referrals to therapeutic hospitalizations, and guidance to support services for individuals in mental health crises.
The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) provides funding to states and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on needs and conditions. BHRS applied for the JAG grant and, on May 26, 2023, was awarded by the Board of State and Community Corrections of the Governor’s Office for the expansion of the CWCRT Program to East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and San Bruno.
DISCUSSION:
The County of San Mateo benefits from the implementation of this agreement by increasing its ability to directly respond to community members in mental health crisis; providing Medi-Cal reimbursable services to County clients; improving response time for those in need of mental health services and resources; and creating a broader and more effective continuum of care that results in a decrease in justice system contacts.
The services provided by StarVista through this agreement are an expansion of the current CWCRT program, for which StarVista is a key provider. As such, StarVista is fully immersed and integrated into the CWCRT model, providing a unique and critical service to the County. Additionally, the JAG Program grant was awarded on the express understanding that Star Vista would be the provider of services, as a uniquely qualified provider of the services. For these reasons, this Board is being asked to waive the County’s Request for Proposals process so that BHRS can contract with StarVista for these services.
The resolution contains the County’s standard provision allowing amendment of the County’s fiscal obligations by a maximum of $25,000 (in aggregate).
This agreement and resolution have been reviewed and approved by the County Attorney as to form.
This agreement is late due to extended negotiations with the Cities of East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and San Bruno.
It is anticipated that the CWCRT clinician will respond in-person to provide crisis assessment and crisis evaluation for 100% of calls for which a mental health issue is suspected and to which the clinician is dispatched. It is also anticipated that 80% of Medi-Cal clients will be provided with at least one follow-up post crisis assessment.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2023-24 Estimated |
FY 2024-25 Projected |
|
Percentage of calls responded to in-person by CWCRT clinician to provide crisis assessment and evaluation |
100% |
100% |
|
Percentage of Medi-Cal clients that are provided with at least one follow-up post crisis assessment |
80% |
80% |
FISCAL IMPACT:
The term of the agreement is January 1, 2024 through June 30, 2026. The amount of the agreement is not to exceed $2,017,266 for the three-year term and will be funded 100% by The Edward Byrne Memorial JAG.