To: Board of Supervisors
From: Marla Stuart, Employment and Human Services Director
Report Title: Contract # 20-488-1 Paradise Adolescent Homes, Inc.
☒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 Paradise Adolescent Homes, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $1,192,436 to provide residential placement and supportive services for Contra Costa County dependent foster youth for the period July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025.
FISCAL IMPACT:
$1,192,436: 70% State Realignment Funds, 30% County General Fund, all of which is budgeted in FY 24-25.
BACKGROUND:
In August 2022, in alignment with County policy, EHSD Children and Family Services issued Request for Interest (RFI) #746 for High Acuity Needs Youth Residential Placement of which Paradise Adolescent Homes, Inc. (Paradise) was awarded a contract. On May 16, 2023, the Board approved item (C.23) authorizing a contract with Paradise for a term of July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. Approval of this action will renew the prior approved contract for a term of July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025 to provide residential placement and supportive services for Contra Costa County dependent foster youth.
Paradise provides Enhanced Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program (ESTRTP) housing and supportive services for youth who cannot live safely in a family home, do not qualify to be placed in a Regional Center facility and/or are denied entry into lower-level placements due to acute, complex, emotional, and behavioral needs. Paradise offers alternatives to repeated placement disruptions and provides additional staffing, supports and services to house, stabilize, provide treatment, and to ultimately transition youth to less restrictive placements, including with family, resource family homes, or lower-level care licensed facilities as part of each youth’s long-term permanency plan.
CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
This contract supports all five 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" by providing residential placement services to youth who have been denied placement and/or cannot live safely in lower level care.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
County will not be able to meet the placement and treatment needs of our high acuity, complex care dependent foster youth, and reduce safety risk and additional trauma for this most vulnerable population with severe emotional and behavioral needs.