To: Board of Supervisors
From: Dr. Grant Colfax, Health Services Director
Report Title: Contract Amendment/Extension #24-133-87 with La Cheim School, Inc.
☒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 Amendment/Extension #24-133-87 with La Cheim School, Inc., a non-profit corporation, effective June 30, 2026, to amend Contract #24-133-86, to increase the payment limit by $2,395,526, from $4,697,110 to an amount not to exceed of $7,092,636, and to extend the termination date from June 30, 2026 to December 31, 2026, to provide additional Medi-Cal specialty mental health services including Therapeutic Behavioral Services (TBS) and short-term residential treatment program (STRP) services, for Seriously Emotionally Disturbed (SED) youth who are wards of the County or are in danger of being placed away from their families.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this Contract Amendment/Extension will result in additional expenditures of up to $2,395,526 and will be funded 50% by Federal Medi-Cal revenues and 50% Mental Health Realignment. (Rate increase)
BACKGROUND:
This Contract meets the social needs of County’s population by providing Medi-Cal specialty mental health services including TBS services, short-term residential treatment program (STRP), and school-based intensive therapeutic mental health services to all special education students attending County’s nonpublic school (NPS), for children and adolescents across the County. Youth eligible for services are between the ages of 3 and 21, presenting with severe maladaptive behavior issues, mental health disorders, and are in danger of being placed away from their families, outside of their homes. Youth are often close to becoming part of the County’s foster care system or being placed in the county’s juvenile hall. Eligible individuals are determined by the Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), wards or dependents of the Contra Costa County Juvenile Court and or are County-referred. This Contractor has been providing these services since 1979.
This Contract is entered into under and subject to the following legal authorities: Welfare and Institutions Code, § 5600 et seq. (The Bronzan McCorquodale Act); California Code of Regulations (“CCR”), Title 9, § 523 et seq. (Community Mental Health Services) and California Government Code §§ 26227 and 31000. This Contract was approved by Health Services Personnel to ensure there is no conflict with labor relations. 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. Per Administrative Bulletin 600.3, the Department has posted a continuous Request for Qualifications and maintains a current qualified list of vendors at all times.
On July 22, 2025, the Board of Supervisors approved Contract #24-133-86 with La Cheim School, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $4,697,110, for the provision Medi-Cal specialty mental health services including TBS STRP services, for SED youth who are wards of the County or are in danger of being placed away from their families, for the period July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.
Approval of Contract Amendment/Extension #24-133-87 will allow the Contractor to provide additional Medi-Cal specialty mental health services for SED youth and families through December 31, 2026.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this Contract Amendment/Extension is not approved, there will be fewer treatment options for wards of Contra Costa County and mental health services available and SED youth may be in more danger of severe maladaptive behavior issues and mental health disorders and placed away from their families.
CHILDREN’S IMPACT STATEMENT:
This Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) program supports the following Board of Supervisors’ community outcomes: “Children Ready for and Succeeding in School”; “Children and Youth Healthy and Preparing for Productive Adulthood”; “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 an increase in positive social and emotional development as measured by the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS).