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 So?ar 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 So?ar (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. ...
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