To: Board of Supervisors
From: Esa Ehmen-Krause, County Probation Officer
Report Title: No-cost extension of Family Springs contract
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the County Probation Officer, or designee, to execute a contract extension with Family Spring Psychology, P.C., to extend the termination date from October 31, 2024, to October 31, 2025, with no change in the payment limit of $216,000, to continue providing Mindfulness-Based Anger Management (MBAT) and Mindfulness-Based Substance Abuse Treatment (MBSAT) services to clients.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No additional fiscal impact. Contract is funded 75% SB678 Evidence Based Practices and 25% by the Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act.
BACKGROUND:
The Probation Department has identified a critical need for community based in-person Mental Health and Substance Disorder services for our youth and Transitional Aged Youth (TAY) clients across the county and in the institution. Contracting with Family Springs has brought evidence-based treatment services to every region of the county at no cost to our clients and their families. As such, economic and transportation barriers are lessened, as well as waitlists. Additionally, these services are delivered by culturally competent and gender responsive therapists in both individual and group settings. Family Springs mindfulness-based treatment has been researched and has shown to decrease behavioral disruption, decrease inhibitory attitudes towards drugs, and increase self-esteem, which are all desired outcomes by the Probation Department.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If unapproved, youth are unlikely to take the initiative to seek out mental health services on their own, losing a unique opportunity. Having a service provider bring a program to our four sites, tailored to their specific needs, is irreplaceable.