To: Board of Supervisors
From: Dr. Ori Tzvieli, Interim Health Services Director
Report Title: Contract #74-377-16 with RYSE, Inc., A California Nonprofit Corporation
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Interim Health Services Director, or designee, to execute on behalf of County Contract #74-377-16 with RYSE, Inc., a California Nonprofit Corporation, in an amount not to exceed $606,058 to provide Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) services to at-risk youth in West Contra Costa County, for the period from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this Contract will result in annual expenditures of up to $606,058 and will be funded as budgeted by the department in FY 2025-26, 100% by MHSA PEI funds.
BACKGROUND:
This Contract meets the social needs of the County’s population by engaging youth in West Contra Costa County, who are at risk of mental illness or severe emotional disturbance, including conducting transformative work that recognizes and addresses the histories and inequitable burden of trauma and violence experience. These programs are aimed at greater youth acceptance of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning (LGBTQQ) students in schools by providing harm reduction presentations in schools, facilitating access and linkage to mental health treatment and improving timely access to mental health treatment utilizing strategies which are non-stigmatizing and non-discriminatory. The Behavioral Health Services Division has been contracting with RYSE, Inc., A California Nonprofit Corporation since July 2009. 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. 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.
This Contract has direct impact on the health and safety of our community and was selected in collaboration with community stakeholder advisory bodies and was approved as part of the comprehensive Mental Health Services Act Three-Year Plan as required by State regulation. Providers interested in providing specialized services were invited proactively to participate in program development and offered the opportunity to submit interest at dozens of publicly noticed meetings. The services and vendors were identified in the formal Three-Year plan which was approved on the following schedule and noticed to the public and approved by the Board on August 1, 2023. The Three-Year Plan was posted for public comment from June 5, 2023 through July 5, 2023, there was a Public Hearing at the Mental Health Commission meeting on July 5, 2023, and it was approved by the Board of Supervisors on August 1, 2023.
On July 23, 2024, the Board of Supervisors approved Contract #74-377-15 with RYSE, Inc., A California Nonprofit Corporation, in an amount not to exceed $577,198, for the provision of MHSA PEI services for the period July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025.
Approval of Contract #74-377-16 will allow the Contractor to continue providing MHSA PEI services through June 30, 2026.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this MHSA PEI Contract is not approved, Contractor will not provide the health and wellness program which provides youth centered assessment goal setting, support and wellness services, or the trauma response and resilience system providing support and response to incidents of violence to at-risk youth in West Contra Costa County.
CHILDREN’S IMPACT STATEMENT:
This MHSA PEI program supports the following Board of Supervisors’ community outcomes: “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 increases in social connectedness, communication skills, parenting skills, and knowledge of the human service system in Contra Costa County.