To: Board of Supervisors
From: Anna Roth, Health Services Director
Report Title: Contract #74-476-9 with Consumers Self-Help Center
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Health Services Director, or designee, to execute on behalf of County Contract #74-476-9 with Consumer Self-Help Center, a non-profit corporation, in an amount not to exceed $377,191, to provide a Patients’ Rights Program, for the period July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this contract will result in budgeted expenditures of up to $377,191 as budgeted by the department in FY 2023-24 and will be funded 100% by Mental Health Realignment Funds revenue.
BACKGROUND:
The Behavioral Health Services Department has been contracting with Consumers Self-Help Center, since October 2014 to provide a State-mandated Patients’ Rights Advocacy Program, including general advocacy and training services, Certification Review Hearing services, and Riese Capacity Hearing services. This contract is entered into under and subject to the following legal authorities: California Government Code §§ 26227 and 31000. 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. This contract was approved by Health Services Personnel to ensure there is no conflict with labor relations.
The services required for Patients’ Rights Advocacy demand a high level of specialized expertise, experience, and knowledge. These unique skills are possessed by a single provider in the county. This contractor has been a longstanding partner in providing Patients’ Rights Advocacy services, fostering a deep understanding of our organization’s mission, values, and long-term objectives. Engaging them again will enable knowledge transfer, avoiding knowledge gaps and ensuring continuity in service delivery. This contractor was approved by the Public Works Department’s Purchasing Division on November 6, 2023.
On July 12, 2022, the Board of Supervisors approved Contract #74-476-8 with Consumers Self-Help Center, in an amount not to exceed $274,200, for the provision of a Patients’ Rights Program for the period from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023.
Approval of Contract #74-476-9 will allow the contractor to continue providing a Patients’ Rights Program through June 30, 2024. The delay of this contract was due to on-going negotiations between the contractor and department regarding budget approval.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this contract is not approved, county will not have a Patients’ Rights Advocacy Program and will be out of compliance with the performance contract with the State Department of Health Care Services, placing funding for the Department’s mental health programs at risk.