To: Board of Supervisors
From: Dr. Ori Tzvieli, Interim Health Services Director
Report Title: Contract #74-475-178(2) with Discover Me | Us Marriage and Family Prof. Corp. (dba Discover Me Us Counseling Services)
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Interim Health Services Director, or designee, to execute on behalf of the County Contract #74-475-178(2) with Discover Me | Us Marriage and Family Therapy Prof. Corp. (dba Discover Me Us Counseling Services), a professional corporation, in an amount not to exceed $220,000, to provide Medi-Cal specialty mental health services to beneficiaries in Contra Costa County, for the period July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this Contract will result in budgeted expenditures of up to $220,000 over a two-year period and will be funded by 30% Federal Medi-Cal, 30% State Mental Health Realignment, and 40% Contra Costa Health Plan Enterprise Fund II.
BACKGROUND:
On January 14, 1997, the Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution #97/17, authorizing the Health Services Director to contract with the State Department of Mental Health, (now known as the Department of Health Care Services) to assume responsibility for Medi-Cal specialty mental health services. Responsibility for outpatient specialty mental health services involves Contracts with individual, group and organizational providers to deliver these services. This Contractor has provided Medi-Cal specialty mental health services to Contra Costa County beneficiaries since April 1, 2024.
This Contract is entered into under and subject to the following legal authorities: California Government Code §§ 26227 and 31000; Welfare and Institutions Code § 5775 et seq.; Welfare and Institutions Code §§ 14680-14685; California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 9 § 1810.100 et seq. This Contract was approved by Health Services Personnel to ensure there is no conflict with labor relations. The Behavioral Health’s Quality Management, Utilization Management and Contract Monitor Staff meet on a regular basis to ensure monitoring and performance measures in the Contract are upheld. Per Administrative Bulletin 600.3 the Department has posted a continuous Request for Qualifications and maintains a current qualified list of vendors at all times.
On April 9, 2024, the Board of Supervisors approved Contract #74-475-178 with Discover Me | Us Marriage and Family Therapy Prof. Corp. (dba Discover Me Us Counseling Services), in an amount not to exceed $650,000, to provide Medi-Cal specialty mental health services for beneficiaries in Contra Costa County, for the period of April 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025.
Approval of Contract #74-475-178(2) will allow the Contractor to continue providing Medi-Cal specialty mental health services through June 30, 2027.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this Contract is not approved, there will be fewer mental health services available as the County solicits and engages an alternative contractor, which could result in increased wait times for services.