To: Board of Directors
From: Lewis Broschard, Chief, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District
Report Title: Amendment to Recon Performance Physical Therapy Contract
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief, or designee, to execute a contract amendment with Recon Performance Physical Therapy, increasing the payment limit by $600,000 to a new payment limit of $1,850,000 and extending the term end date from December 31, 2026 to December 31, 2027. The amendment will expand the roles of physical therapy and strength training programs for Fire District personnel and introduce new health and wellness coordinator services.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Budgeted. 100% funded by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) Health and Wellness Grant.
BACKGROUND:
The Fire District seeks to amend the current agreement to expand the scope of work to include strategic planning, development, and execution of the District’s expanded and comprehensive Health and Wellness Program, with a focus on adding a Health and Wellness Coordinator role.
The Department of Defense’s Human Performance Optimization (HPO) framework “provides a holistic approach for enhancing the performance, health and well-being of U.S. soldiers and their families. The time has come to discuss the use of similar concepts that are best suited for members of public safety.” (A New Model for Optimizing Firefighter Human Performance, NSCA vol. III, numb 4, 2021) Physical Therapy (PT) falls into the performance piece of HPO and has already improved injury recovery and return to work times. Statistics garnered from the Fire District’s current PT program have shown injuries sustained by its personnel are chronic in nature. When these cases were subjected to the PT program, improvements were recorded. On average, 3.8 visits resulted in an enhancement of 3.3 points on a 10-point recovery scale. Additionally, in a study conducted by Denver Fire, analyzing the efficacy of internal versus external PT programs, the internal program results showed personnel reaching Max Medical Improvement (MMI) 30 days faster, six fewer lost work days, and nine fewer restricted days.
On January 16, 2024, this Board approved and authorized the Fire Chief, or designee, to execute a contract with this vendor in an amount not to exceed $1,250,000 for the development of PT and strength training programs for District personnel for the period January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2026, including the potential of two one-year extensions.
The District has determined that adding the Health and Wellness Coordinator will further enhance the existing efforts, ensuring a holistic approach to the health and wellness of all District personnel.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If the agreement is not approved, the Fire District cannot expand the use of qualified physical therapists or implement the new Health and Wellness Coordinator services to support District personnel in recovering from work-related injuries and improving overall wellness.