To: Board of Supervisors
From: Marla Stuart, Employment and Human Services Director
Report Title: Contract # 19-826-6 (CFS) Renewal with California State University, Fresno Foundation
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Employment and Human Services Director, or designee, to execute a contract with California State University, Fresno Foundation, a Non-Profit Corporation, in an amount not to exceed $994,240 to provide Title IV-E training, Consultant Facilitator Services for Families First Prevention Services Act and Grievance Hearing Officer Services for Children and Family Services for the period July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027.
FISCAL IMPACT:
$994,240: Funded by 56% Federal, 38% State, 6% County Fund; $329,335.90 of which will be budgeted in FY24-25, $331,402.80 of which will be budgeted in FY25-26, and $333,500.66 of which will be budgeted in FY26-27.
BACKGROUND:
Foster Care Title IV-E provides funds to assist with the cost of foster care maintenance for eligible children; administrative costs to manage the program; and training for public agency staff, foster parents, and certain private agency staff. The Employment and Human Services Department is contracting with the California State University, Fresno Foundation, a Non-Profit Corporation, to provide staff training. This program will enhance professional skills and knowledge; increase cultural awareness and responsiveness of staff; increase staff’s knowledge on the application of new laws and regulations in child welfare.
In January of 2023, Employment and Human Services Department amended contract 19-826-4 with the California State University, Fresno Foundation, to provide Consultant Facilitator Services to evaluate, facilitate and coordinate the development and implementation of EHSD CFS process and system(s) changes necessary to assure that all required elements of the FFPSA Program and other best practices as identified by the EHSD CFS Director or designee are established and implemented.
In addition, to meet the requirements set by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) in response to a settlement decision reached in the Gomez v. Saenz lawsuit, all California Counties are required as of May 1, 2008, to provide for grievance hearings in Child Welfare Services.
On June 22, 2021 (C.102) BOS approved an agreement with the California State University Fresno Foundation, to deliver services between the period July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2024. On June 13, 2023 (C.129) BOS approved a contract amendment to increase the payment limit with no other changes. The contract provides grievance hearing officer services for Child Abuse Central Index (CACI) hearings. There are modifications to the Indemnification and Conflict of Interest provisions.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
The County will not be in compliance with Child Welfare program mandates and initiatives.
CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
This contract supports all five of the community outcomes established in the Children's Report Card: 1) "Children Ready for and Succeeding in School"; 2) "Children and Youth Healthy and Preparing for Productive Adulthood"; 3) "Families that are Economically Self Sufficient"; 4) "Families that are Safe, Stable and Nurturing"; and 5) "Communities that are Safe and Provide a High Quality of Life for Children and Families" by providing training to CFS staff to support these outcomes.