To: Board of Supervisors
From: Dr. Grant Colfax, Health Services Director
Report Title: Contract #74-630-6 with Mental Health Connections
☒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 #74-630-6 with Mental Health Connections, a non-profit corporation, in an amount not to exceed $1,982,187, to provide community-based mental health support services for adults, including Putnam Peer Connection Center, and the Service Provider Individualized Recovery Intensive Training (SPIRIT) program, for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this Contract will result in annual expenditures of up to $1,982,187 and will be funded as budgeted by the department in FY 2026-27, 100% by Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA). Beginning July 1, 2026, the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funding fully transitions to the BHSA to reflect full implementation and oversight required under California Proposition 1, approved by voters in March 2024, which modernizes MHSA by renaming it the BHSA and redirecting funding to support building a comprehensive, integrated, and unified behavioral health system statewide.
BACKGROUND:
For a number of years, County contracted with Recovery Innovations, Inc. for the operation of Wellness and Recovery Centers in East, Central and West County, as well as, for the organization and operation of the SPIRIT program to provide training for clients interested in working with in the local mental health service delivery system. Mental Health Connections has provided these community-based mental health services to the County since July 1, 2021. This Contract is entered into under and subject to the following legal authorities: California Government Code §§ 26227 and 31000. Health Services Personnel approved this Contract to ensure no conflicts with labor relations. Contractor currently cooperates and participates in Behavioral Health’s Quality Management Program which consists of quality improvement activities to improve the quality of care, services and member experience. This Contractor was selected under the BHSA 2025/2026 update to the BHSA three-year plan, approved by the Board of Supervisors on June 24, 2025.
On July 8, 2025, the Board of Supervisors approved Contract #74-630-5 with Mental Health Connections, in the amount not to exceed $1,982,187, for the provision of community-based mental health support services including operation of Putnam Peer Connection Centers and the SPIRIT program for the period July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.
Approval of Contract #74-630-6 will allow Contractor to continue providing community-based mental health support services to adults and the SPIRIT program, through June 30, 2027.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this Contract is not approved, the County’s adult mental health clients will not have access to services provided by this Contractor, leading to reduced levels of mental health support and training services throughout the County.