To: Board of Supervisors
From: Marla Stuart, Employment and Human Services Director
Report Title: Wayfinder Family Services
☒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 Wayfinder Family Services, in an amount not to exceed $1,023,120 to provide family finding, engagement and resource family pre-approval supportive services for the period July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.
FISCAL IMPACT:
87% State, 13% Federal funds, all of which is budgeted in FY 26-27.
BACKGROUND:
On August 1, 2023, the Board approved item C.50 authorizing a contract with Wayfinder Family Services for a term of July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024. The Employment and Human Services Department Children and Family Services Bureau selected Wayfinder from the competitive procurement Request for Proposal #1197 in May 2023. On June 25, 2024, the Board approved item C.77 (24-1863) authorizing a contract renewal with Wayfinder Family Services for a term of July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025. On June 24, 2025, the Board approved item 25-2542 authorizing a contract renewal with Wayfinder Family Services for a term of July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
This action seeks to execute a contract renewal for the term of July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027, to provide family finding, engagement and resource family pre-approval supportive services for foster youth. For the FY26-27 contract, a one-year sole source approval was approved by Purchasing on December 1, 2025, in lieu of going out to solicitation. The sole source approval was based on Wayfinder providing specialized Family Findings Opt-In services for a funding allocation that ends on June 30, 2027.
The purpose of family findings and engagement and resource family pre-approval supportive services is to provide permanency-focused outreach, engagement, family finding, resource family pre-approval assessments and associated activities to secure supports, lifelong connections and ideally permanent placement for foster youth.
CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
This contract supports all of Contra Costa County’s community outcomes of 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”.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
The County will not provide foster youth with supportive services to identify, approve and transition into appropriate stable permanent placements.