To: Board of Supervisors
From: Marla Stuart, Employment and Human Services Director
Report Title: Contract #20-170-14 CocoKids, Inc., Contract Renewal
☒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 renewal with CocoKids, Inc., a non-profit corporation, in an amount not to exceed $1,122,152, to provide Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children services for the period July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025.
FISCAL IMPACT:
$1,122,152: (85% State Capped Allocation and 15% Federal Title IV-E), all of which will be budgeted in FY24-25.
BACKGROUND:
On April 24, 2023, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) issued Child Care Bulletin (CCB) No. 23-10 announcing the FY 2023-2025 Bridge Program Opt-In Notification. Contra Costa County Employment and Human Services Department (EHSD) Children and Family Services (CFS) Bureau opted in at the approval of the Board of Supervisors on May 23, 2023 (C.30). This contract will renew the prior approved contracts for a term of July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025 to provide Bridge Program Services.
On May 24, 2022, the Board approved item C.41, to execute a contract with CocoKids, Inc., for a term of July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2024 including Board approval of subsequent amendments on January 10, 2023 item C.50; and June 27, 2023 item C.73 to provide Bridge Program services.
Access to child care for potential eligible families seeking to take in a foster child continues to be one of the top barriers to placing young foster children with families. The Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children (Bridge Program) was enacted through Senate Bill 89, (Chapter 24, Statutes of 2017) and implemented in January 2018 to reduce child care barriers for children and parenting youth in the foster care system, their caregiver families, and non-minor dependent parents.
The Contractor is the designated Child Care Resource and Referral Agency that provides Bridge Program services in Contra Costa County that include a twelve-month payment (or voucher) for child care with the possibility to extend the voucher beyond the initial twelve months, child care navigator assistance, as well as trauma-informed care training and coaching to child care providers who care for children in foster care. The contract terms and budget were negotiated with Contractor to allow the Contractor and County to continue to provide Bridge Program services delivering critical emergency child care services to foster youth and their eligible families through June 30, 2025.
CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
This contract supports all five of the community outcomes established in 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 safe housing and support to assist youth in foster care.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
The County may face an increased number of foster youth unable to be placed with eligible families due to lack of access to subsidized child care and State/Federal funding will be lost.