Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Louise F. Rogers, Chief, San Mateo County Health
Scott Gillman, Director, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services
Subject: Agreement with Telecare Corporation to Operate a Behavioral Health Crisis Residential Facility
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Adopt a resolution authorizing an agreement with Telecare Corporation to operate a behavioral health crisis residential facility, for the term of May 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023, in an amount not to exceed $3,489,576.
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BACKGROUND:
In October 2013, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) released a Request for Proposals seeking an agency to help identify a service location, provide consultation on renovations needed, and run a behavioral health respite center. HealthRIGHT360 (HR360) responded with a proposal and was selected in December 2013 to provide these services. A facility site was selected, but at the time it was occupied by another County department. The building was vacated, and renovation began in 2017, with HR360 opening the facility in October 2018. Since then, HR360 has been operating the BHRS Serenity House Crisis Residential (SHCR), and recently ended its term at the end of February 2022. In order to continue operating SHCR, BHRS would like to contract with another provider, Telecare.
Telecare operates 10 Crisis Residential Treatment (CRT) programs in Alameda, Contra Costa, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, and Santa Clara counties, representing a total of 135 beds. In addition to these existing programs, Telecare is partnering with Los Angeles County to open three additional CRT programs this year. Telecare also operates the following crisis walk-in/mental health urgent care centers: Mental Health Urgent Care Center in Long Beach (Los Angeles County), Mental Health Urgent Care Center in Perris (Riverside County), Ridgecrest CSU (Kern County), Merrill Crisis Walk-In Center (San Bernardino County), and Windsor Crisis Walk-In Center (San Bernardino County).
Each CRT program run by Telecare is California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS)-certified as a Short-Term Crisis Residential Treatment Facility and Short-Doyle Medi-Cal-certified by their respective County Mental Health Plan. All Telecare CRTs have continuously maintained their DHCS and Medi-Cal certification as well as their Community Care Licensing as Social Rehabilitation Facilities. Further, all Telecare CRTs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities International, an independent nonprofit accreditation organization dedicated to advancing the quality of health and human services worldwide.
DISCUSSION:
The BHRS SHRC is designed as an alternative to hospitalization and incarceration for adults experiencing an acute psychiatric episode. The respite stay is short-term, designed to stabilize and return clients to their current living situation if appropriate, or an alternative stable environment. SHRC services may also be utilized for clients who are psychiatrically destabilized due to loss of housing, placement, or support system. Telecare shall deliver short term SHRC services for up to 13 adult clients with psychiatric disabilities.
Through this agreement, Telecare will help its SHRC clients maintain medication management; engage in natural supports; manage mental health symptoms and substance use urges; strengthen acquisition and use of coping skills; and establish or reestablish vital links to services. By providing the latter services, Telecare can keep clients out of more restrictive levels of care and support clients throughout the ongoing process of recovery. The clients’ mental health status will be reassessed regularly, and discharge planning will begin immediately to help clients maintain stability following discharge from SHRC. This will include transporting clients while in the program to doctor appointments, housing, and other community services.
Under the B-1 Memo Administrative Memorandum, these services are considered to be an emergency with the sudden and unexpected contract termination by the previous service provider.
The resolution contains the County’s standard provision allowing amendment of the County’s fiscal obligations by a maximum of $25,000 (in aggregate).
The agreement and resolution have been reviewed and approved by County Attorney as to form.
Successful treatment discharge occurs when clients are successfully engaged in the support services they receive to remain in the community. It is anticipated that at least 90% of SHCR clients will be referred/linked/re-established to services in the community following discharge.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2021-22 Estimated |
FY 2022-23 Projected |
|
Percentage of SHCR clients who will be referred/linked/reestablished to services in the community following discharge |
N/A* |
> 90% 315 clients |
* Since this is a new contract, data will be available in FY 2021-22.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The term of the agreement is May 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023. The amount of the agreement is not to exceed $3,489,576 for the fourteen-month-term. $322,111 is included in the BHRS FY 2021-22 Adopted Budget. Of that amount, $187,072 is funded by Measure K, $67,396 will be funded with 1991 Realignment and $67,643 will be funded with Federal Financial Participation and State General Funds. $3,167,465 is included in the BHRS FY 2022-23 Recommended Budget. Of that amount $1,156,105 is funded with Measure K, $1,415,870 is funded with 1991 Realignment (of that amount $415,870 is one-time start-up fund), and $595,490 is funded with Federal Financial Participation and State General Funds. Similar arrangements will be in place for subsequent years.