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 Telecare Corporation for Crisis Hotline and Mobile Crisis Response Team Dispatch Services
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing an agreement with Telecare Corporation for crisis hotline and mobile crisis response team dispatch services, for the term of August 1, 2025 through September 30, 2027, in an amount not to exceed $3,785,551.
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BACKGROUND:
California's Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) issued a Behavioral Health Information Notice (BHIN) 23-025 in June 2023, mandating all California counties to implement a Medi-Cal Mobile Crisis Services Benefit providing 24/7/365 community-based mobile crisis intervention services for all ages experiencing a crisis. Furthermore, BHIN 23-025 has issued a required standard Triage Assessment Tool for a county crisis call line to determine deployment of the mobile crisis response team (MCRT), among other standard tools. The above BHIN also provided guidance that the call line can be the designated county crisis line or the county ACCESS line for their behavioral health services.
San Mateo County launched its MCRT in May 2024 with StarVista Crisis Call Center providing 24/7 crisis hotline services and MCRT screening/deployment services. Telecare Corporation (Telecare) has been the MCRT response team. Since the unexpected closure of StarVista at the end of July, the call line services have been temporarily provided by Felton Institute on a short-term transitional basis. It is paramount for efficiency, consistency, and accountability that the call line deployment service is provided by the same provider who responds to these crisis calls.
DISCUSSION:
StarVista, the former provider of the 24/7 county crisis call line and dispatch o...
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