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Approve a first contract amendment with the Seneca Family of Agencies for $450,796 for a total contract amount of $5,598,796 to provide wraparound services for the Solano County Family Urgent Response System for the current period through June 30, 2027; Delegate authority to the County Administrator to execute the amendment and any subsequent amendments, with County Counsel concurrence, up to an aggregate of $74,999; and Approve an Appropriation Transfer Request for $450,796 to recognize unanticipated State allocation revenue (4/5 vote required)
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Published Notice Required? Yes _____ No __X__
Public Hearing Required? Yes _____ No __X__
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Health and Social Services (H&SS) recommends that the Board approve a first contract amendment with Seneca Family of Agencies for $450,796 for a total contract amount of $5,598,796 to provide wraparound services for the Solano County Family Urgent Response System for the current period through June 30, 2027; Delegate authority to the County Administrator to execute the amendment and any subsequent amendments, with County Counsel concurrence, up to an aggregate of $74,999; and Approve an Appropriation Transfer Request for $450,796 to recognize unanticipated State allocation revenue (4/5 vote required).
SUMMARY:
The Family Urgent Response System (FURS) provides foster youth and their caregivers with the immediate support they need during times of emotional crisis, and links youth and families to needed supports and services to help stabilize the situation. Governor Newsom’s FY2024/25 Proposed Budget eliminated funding for this program, and therefore, funding for the FURS program was not included in H&SS, Child Welfare Services Division’s FY2024/25 budget. However, the State funding associated with the service delivery of the FURS program was later restored and included in the California Budget Act of 2024.
Child Welfare Services contracts with Seneca Family of Agencies to provide wraparound services to current and former foster youth and their caregivers, including immediate, trauma-informed support when needed. Approval of the Appropriation Transfer Request (ATR) will recognize the unanticipated FURS revenue allocation and will fund the contract amendment with Seneca Family of Agencies to provide family-centered wraparound and crisis services.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The State Budget Act of 2024 included unanticipated State General Fund allocations to counties for the Family Urgent Response System (FURS). Solano County will receive an allocation of $450,796 from the California Department of Social Services. An ATR is required to recognize the unanticipated revenue allocation and respective increase in the contract with Seneca Family of Agencies for wraparound and crisis services. There is no impact to the County General Fund.
DISCUSSION:
Enacted in 2019, California Senate Bill 80 requires the development of a Family Urgent Response System (FURS). FURS is a coordinated statewide, regional, and county level system designed to provide collaborative and timely state-level, phone-based response, and county level in home, in person mobile response during situations of instability to preserve the relationship of the caregiver and the child or youth. This legislation requires counties’ child welfare and behavioral health agencies to establish mobile response teams to provide face-to-face, in-home response on a 24/7 basis to help defuse and stabilize a situation, assess the caregiver’s and child’s needs, and develop a plan of action. Hotline and mobile response staff are required to have been trained in working with children and families who have experienced trauma.
FURS serves current and former foster youth and their caregivers and aims to prevent placement moves, preserve the relationship between youth and their caregivers, reduce hospitalizations and law enforcement contacts, promote healing as a family, improve retention of current foster caregivers, and promote stability for youth in foster care.
The Board approved the original three-year contract with Seneca for $5,148,000 on June 25, 2024. This first amendment increases the contract by $450,796 for a new total contract amount of $5,598,796. An ATR is required to recognize the unanticipated State revenue allocation of $450,796 for the FURS program as outlined in County Fiscal Letter (CFL) 24/25-16, which was released on October 23, 2024.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to approve the contract amendment with Seneca Family of Agencies or the ATR to recognize the State allocation; however, this is not recommended as these funds are utilized to carry out the State mandated Family Urgent Response System (FURS).
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION