To: Board of Supervisors
From: Anna Roth, Health Services Director
Report Title: Contract #77-148-6 with Linda Copeland, M.D.
☒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 #77-148-6 with Linda Copeland, M.D., an individual, in an amount not to exceed $450,000, to provide consulting services to Contra Costa Health Plan (CCHP) for pediatric patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and developmental disabilities for CCHP members for the period November 1, 2023 through October 31, 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this contract will result in contractual service expenditures of up to $450,000 over a three-year period and will be funded 100% by CCHP Enterprise Fund II. (No rate increase)
BACKGROUND:
CCHP has an obligation to provide certain specialized health care services including services for pediatric patients with ASD and developmental disabilities for its members under the terms of their Individual and Group Health Plan membership contracts with the county. This contractor has been assisting CCHP with consulting services for CCHP pediatric patients with ASD and developmental disorders since November 1, 2017. Medical consulting services are essential for CCHP to maintain mandated requirements by the State of California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) Services and Department of Health Care Services (DHCS).
CCHP’s service area contains ten medical consultants specializing in pediatric ASD services and four of the ten have contracted with CCHP. The nature of the professional services needed is complex and requires seamless coordination, integration and collaboration with existing programs and systems. Linda Copeland, M.D. is familiar with CCHP’s specific requirements to help ensure a smooth implementation and delivery process and has established a history of maintaining the required accreditations and compliance with federal regulations reducing the risk for audit findings and ensuring CCHP’s eligibility for reimbursement. Linda Copeland, M.D., with a proven track record and established reputation within the medical community mitigates potential risks associated with CCHP’s successes and patient well-being. This contractor has been approved by the Public Works Department’s Purchasing Division on October 3, 2023.
This contract is entered into under and subject to the following legal authorities: California Government Code §§ 26227 and 31000; and Health and Safety Code § 1451. Health Services Personnel approved this contract to ensure no conflicts with labor relations. This contract renewal will maintain comprehensive area coverage for the entire CCHP membership and meets the Knox-Keene Act, time and distance mandate required by the State of California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) Services.
In October 2022, the County Administrator approved, and the Purchasing Services Manager executed Contract #77-148-5 with Linda Copeland, M.D. in the amount not to exceed $150,000, for the provision of consulting services to CCHP regarding pediatric patients with ASD and developmental disabilities for the period November 1, 2022 through October 31, 2023.
Approval of Contract #77-148-6 will allow the contractor to continue providing consulting services to CCHP regarding pediatric patients with ASD and developmental disabilities through October 31, 2026.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this contract is not approved, consulting services for CCHP regarding pediatric patients with ASD and developmental disorders will not be provided by this contractor and may cause a delay in services for CCHP members.