Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Rocio Kiryczun, Human Resources Director
Kim Pearson, Benefits Manager
Subject: Agreement with Claremont Behavioral Services, Inc. for Employee Assistance Program Services
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing an agreement with Claremont Behavioral Services, Inc. as the County’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) vendor to provide work-life benefits and resources to County employees and their dependents for the term of January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2022, with the aggregate amount not to exceed $850,000.
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BACKGROUND:
The County’s EAP program offers counseling services and work-life resources to help employees and their family members manage problems related to work, personal relationships, stress, finances, substance abuse, and other life concerns. The EAP program is also a vital partner in providing the County’s First Responder employees with dedicated culturally competent, trauma trained specialists who treat First Responders who are dealing with challenges prevalent in society today. The EAP program also offers job performance referrals, management consultations, critical incident debriefings, financial counseling, legal consultation, home finder services and a breadth of training programs to enhance workplace health and employee effectiveness. The County offers the EAP program to both the employee and their dependents as an essential service to help maintain physical and emotional well-being.
Concern is the current provider of EAP services and the County’s agreement with Concern expires on December 31, 2019.
DISCUSSION:
In 2019, the Benefits Committee comprised of labor and management representatives solicited and evaluated proposals from EAP providers to ensure that the County is receiving the best plan benefits currently available in the marketplace. The committee interviewed three RFP finalists and ranked each of their proposals on the following criteria: breadth of services, account management, public sector experience, provider network, intake/referral process, and fees. Based on these criteria, the committee agreed that Claremont Behavioral Services, Inc.’s proposal most closely met the County’s needs and is recommending that it be selected as the EAP provider for the County.
Claremont Behavioral Services, Inc. is a stand-alone full service EAP provider based locally in Alameda, California and has earned a reputation for quick and easy access to licensed clinical providers, specialized training, and comprehensive work/life resources and referrals. Claremont Behavioral Services, Inc. provides a flexible and “hands on” approach to meeting the personal needs of employees and will be an effective partner in the County’s efforts to promote the optimal health and well-being of its employees.
The new agreement with Claremont Behavioral Services, Inc. will provide additional enhancements to the existing EAP program at no additional cost to the County. A summary of the benefit enhancements under a new Claremont Behavioral Services, Inc. agreement is included in the table below.
|
Claremont Behavioral Services, Inc. program |
Existing EAP program |
|
30 training hours per year |
24 training hours per year |
|
Monthly newsletter with collateral material |
Monthly newsletter without collateral material |
|
1703 Providers within a 50-mile radius to Redwood City |
1080 Providers within a 50-mile radius to Redwood City |
|
Refined Intake Process to assist in making the appointment |
Referral Intake process with limited assistance |
The accompanying resolution contains the County’s standard provision allowing amendments of the County’s fiscal obligations by a maximum of $25,000 (in aggregate).
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the resolution and agreement as to form.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES:
|
Measure |
2020 Estimate |
2021 Estimate |
2022 Estimate |
|
Timeliness of urgent appointments (within two (2) business days) |
100% |
100% |
100% |
|
Member satisfaction |
90% |
90% |
90% |
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no net County cost associated with this agreement. The cost will be $2.39 per employee per month, approximately $283,333 annually. The cost within this contract includes a $1500.00 case rate to provide specialized services for our First Responder employees and twenty (20) hours of Professional Conflict Resolution to assist departments with experts in the field of conflict negotiations. The cost is fully covered by the Benefits Trust Fund.