To: Board of Supervisors
From: Dr. Ori Tzvieli, Interim Health Services Director
Report Title: Contract #74-491-11 with Fierce Advocates (Families and Individuals Equitably Rooted in Collective Empowerment), Inc.
☒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 County Contract #74-491-11 with Fierce Advocates (Families and Individuals Equitably Rooted in Collective Empowerment), Inc., a non-profit corporation, in an amount not to exceed $270,609, to provide Mental Health Service Act (BHSA) Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) Services to underserved cultural communities in West Contra Costa County for the period from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this Contract will result in annual budgeted expenditures up to $270,609 for FY 2025-26 and will be funded 100% by BHSA-PEI funds.
BACKGROUND:
This Contract meets the social needs of County’s population by providing BHSA-PEI services to underserved cultural communities and families in West County including support and education of family’s access to mental health services. This Contractor has been providing services to the County since July 1, 2015. This Contract is entered into under and subject to the following legal authorities: California Government Code §§ 26227 and 31000. Extensive market research has revealed a limited pool of qualified providers. 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.
This provider was selected in collaboration with community stakeholder advisory bodies and was approved as part of the comprehensive Mental Health Services Act Three-Year Plan as required by State regulation. Providers interested in providing specialized services were invited proactively to participate in program development and offered the opportunity to submit interest at dozens of publicly noticed meetings. The services and vendors were identified in the formal Three-Year Plan and was approved on the following schedule that was noticed to the public and approved by the Board on August 1, 2023. The Three-Year Plan was posted for public comment from June 5, 2023 through July 5, 2023, there was a Public Hearing at the Mental Health Commission meeting on July 5, 2023, and it was approved by the Board of Supervisors on August 1, 2023.
On July 23, 2024, the Board of Supervisors approved Contract #74-491-10 with Fierce Advocates (Families and Individuals Equitably Rooted in Collective Empowerment), Inc., in an amount not to exceed $257,723, for the provision of BHSA-PEI services for the period July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025.
Approval of Contract #74-491-11 will allow the Contractor to continue providing BHSA-PEI services in West Contra Costa County through June 30, 2026.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this Contract is not approved, residents of West Contra Costa County will not have access to this contractors BHSA-PEI services which could negatively impact wait times for these mental health services.
CHILDRENS IMPACT STATEMENT:
This BHSA-PEI program supports the following Board of Supervisors’ community outcomes: “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 increases in social connectedness, communication skills, parenting skills and knowledge of the human service system in Contra Costa County.