To: Board of Supervisors
From: Dr. Grant Colfax, Health Services Director
Report Title: Contract Amendment/Extension #74-526-18 with EMBRACE
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Health Services Director, or designee, to execute on behalf of the County Contract Amendment/Extension #74-526-18 with EMBRACE, a non-profit corporation, effective June 30, 2026, to amend Contract #74-526-17, to increase the payment limit by $269,437, from $528,308 to an amount not to exceed $797,745, and to extend the termination date from June 30, 2026 to December 31, 2026, to provide additional non-Medi-Cal mental health services and training to Behavioral Health Services Division (BHSD) staff in Functional Family Therapy (FFT) and Multisystemic Therapy (MST) services for Seriously Emotionally Disturbed (SED) youth involved with the juvenile justice system and their families.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this Contract Amendment/Extension will result in additional expenditures of up to $269,437 and will be funded 66% by Probation Non-Medi-Cal funds and 34% by Mental Health Realignment revenues. (No rate increase)
BACKGROUND:
This Contract meets the social needs of County’s population by providing community-based mental health services, including individual, group, and family counseling, assessment, case management, and rehabilitation support services to SED youth who are involved in the Juvenile Justice System. Contractor has been a longstanding partner in treating Contra Costa clients and fostering a deep understanding of our organization’s mission, value, and long-term objectives since July 2016.
This Contract is entered into under and subject to the following legal authorities: Welfare and Institutions Code, § 5600 et seq. (The Bronzan-McCorquodale Act); California Code of Regulations (“CCR”), Title 9, § 523 et seq. (Community Mental Health Services) and California Government Code §§ 26227 and 31000. 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 July 22, 2025, the Board of Supervisors approved Contract #74-526-17 with EMBRACE, in an amount not to exceed $528,308, for the provision non-Medi-Cal mental health services and training to BHSD staff in FFT and MST services for SED youth involved with the juvenile justice system and their families for the period July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.
Approval of Contract Amendment/Extension #74-526-18 will allow the Contractor to provide additional services through December 31, 2026.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this Contract Amendment/Extension is not approved, BHSD staff will not have the proper training and SED youth will not have access to mental health services, which may result in a reduction of services and placement in higher levels of care.
CHILDREN’S IMPACT STATEMENT:
This program supports the following Board of Supervisors’ community outcomes: “Children Ready For and Succeeding in School”; “Families that are Safe, Stable, and Nurturing”; and “Communities that are Safe and Provide a High Quality of Life for Children and Families”. Expected program outcomes include an increase in positive social and emotional development as measured by the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS).