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 Mental Health Association of Alameda County for Patients' Rights Services
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing an amendment to the agreement with Mental Health Association of Alameda County for patients' rights services, increasing the amount by $499,000 to an amount not to exceed $699,000 and extending the term of the agreement through June 30, 2028.
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BACKGROUND:
By statute, the County is obligated to provide patients' rights advocacy services for all recipients of mental health services in San Mateo County. These services include patient hearing representation at Certification and Capacity and/or Meredith Hearings in psychiatric inpatient facilities; complaint investigation and resolution; monitoring of mental health facilities; and outreach and training on advocacy topics for clients and providers. There are inpatient facilities in the County where Capacity and Certification Hearings take place: Mills-Peninsula Hospital, San Mateo Medical Center, Seton's Geriatric Behavioral Program, Cordilleras Mental Health Center, and Maguire Correctional Facility.
MHA has continuously provided these services for BHRS since 2003. For the last 17 years, through three Request for Proposals and one RFI, MHA has been the only respondent to submit a proposal to provide these services.
In June 2025, the Director of Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) approved an agreement with Mental Health Association of Alameda County (MHA Alameda) to provide patients' rights services in the amount of $200,000 for the term of July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.
DISCUSSION:
MHA Alameda will continue to provide patients' rights services per state and federal statutes for patients in ps...
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