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Approve a $1,509,520 contract with HealthRIGHT360 to provide case management and re-entry services for the period February 7, 2024, through June 30, 2026; Delegate authority to the County Administrator to execute the contract and any subsequent amendments, pending County Counsel concurrence, up to an annual aggregate of $74,999; and Authorize the Sheriff, Undersheriff and Director of Administrative Services to execute contract amendments which are technical in nature
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Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Sheriff recommends that the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve a $1,509,520 contract with HealthRIGHT360 to provide case management and re-entry services for the period February 7, 2024, through June 30, 2026;
2. Delegate authority to the County Administrator to execute the contract and any subsequent amendments, pending County Counsel concurrence, up to an annual aggregate of $74,999; and
3. Authorize the Sheriff, Undersheriff and Director of Administrative Services to execute contract amendments which are technical in nature.
SUMMARY:
The Sheriff’s Office worked with Central Services - Purchasing Division of General Services (Purchasing) to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) on May 17, 2023, for in-custody case management and re-entry services. HealthRIGHT360 (HR360) was selected from this competitive process and the recommendation is to award the contract to HR360 to provide comprehensive case management, risk and needs assessment, re-entry planning and cognitive behavioral services to select inmates in the Solano County detention facilities. The target population for this contract is sentenced and/or un-sentenced adult male and female inmates incarcerated in Solano County jails.
During the contract negotiations process, HR360 agreed to also participate in the implementation of the County’s pre-release Medi-Cal application processes in the Solano County Jail. This pre-release application process will help to ensure Medi-Cal coverage for inmates upon re-entry into the community and ensure continuity of care. The proposed services are critical to re-entry success and are in support of the Sheriff’s and County’s goal of reducing recidivism rates. Therefore, the Sheriff is recommending the Board approve the contract for $1,509,520 with HR360 for the period February 7, 2024, through June 30, 2026.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The cost of the proposed contract is $1,509,520, with an estimated cost of $284,068 for FY2023/24. The FY2023/24 cost includes $186,546 for case management and re-entry services and $97,522 for pre-release Medi-Cal services. Case management and re-entry services are funded through the Sheriff’s Operational Budget (Fund 900) using AB 109 Realignment funds. The pre-release Medi-Cal services is funded through the Sheriff’s Office Grants Budget (Fund 325) using CalAIM Providing Access and Transforming Health Justice-Involved Reentry Initiative Capacity Building Program (PATH-JI Round 3) funds administered by the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) currently through FY2024/25. It is anticipated that the Sheriff’s Office will be able to claim Medi-Cal Administrative Activities (MAA) in FY2025/26 for cost associated with pre-release Medi-Cal services.
There is sufficient appropriations in the respective FY2023/24 Working Budgets to cover the FY2023/24 cost of the contract; therefore, Board approval will have no additional impact on the County General Fund for FY2023/24. Costs for the remaining term of the contract, together with offsetting revenues, will be included in future fiscal year’s Requested Budgets.
The cost associated with preparing the agenda item is nominal and absorbed by the Sheriff’s Office FY2023/24 Working Budget.
DISCUSSION:
HR360 is a California-based 501(c)3 non-profit organization and has been providing case management services to in-custody populations for over 20 years, statewide. HR360, through the Horizon program, will provide comprehensive case management, reentry planning, and cognitive behavioral services prior to and after release, to selected inmates in Solano County correctional facilities. Services to be provided under the contract fit with the Sheriff’s Inmate Program Manager’s continuum of services plan and are expected to decrease the potential for individuals to relapse criminal behavior and return to jail upon community re-entry.
The Horizon program design is rooted in the Risk-Needs-Responsivity model, which focuses on matching higher-risk participants with services tailored to their specific needs, circumstances, and characteristics to reduce the likelihood of reoffending. Client engagement, intake, and assessment are fundamental to the program's success, ensuring that participants' dynamic criminogenic needs are matched with appropriate services. HR360 staff employs Motivational Interviewing (MI) skills to foster client engagement, using open-ended questions, reflective listening, acceptance, and empathy. The program also prioritizes trauma-informed practices to create safe and welcoming environments, given the high rates of traumatic experiences within incarcerated populations. Participants are assessed for risks and needs using the Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (LS/CMI), an evidence-based tool that rates an individual's risk of recidivism based on various factors. This assessment helps ensure that the program serves individuals most likely to reoffend. HR360 staff uses the LS/CMI results to create individualized case plans, considering qualitative data about the client's past, cultural concerns, and intellectual capacity.
California statute (AB-133 Chapter 142, Statutes of 2021) mandates all counties implement pre-release Medi-Cal enrollment processes by January 1, 2023. Solano County has been enrolling inmates in Medi-Cal for more than eight years under another State initiative, these processes allowed the County to meet some of the State mandates related to AB133. Additionally, the County received PATH I and PATH 2 grant funds for planning processes to ensure enrollment of most inmates into Medi-Cal and creating an electronic system to assist with Medi-Cal enrollment including funding contracted Medi-Cal enrollment staff based in the jail. During this time the Sheriff’s Office has continued the previous processes.
Establishing pre-release Medi-Cal enrollment processes is part of the State’s vision to enhance the Medi-Cal health delivery system for justice-involved populations. Implementation of pre-release enrollment and suspension processes will help ensure Medi-Cal coverage upon re-entry into the community in order to facilitate access to needed Medi-Cal covered services. These processes are also foundational to the provision of Medi-Cal services in the 90 days prior to release, as requested by the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) through its CALAIM 1115 Demonstration request.
The Sheriff’s Office has determined that in-custody case management and re-entry service providers would be best equipped to assist with the Medi-Cal application process. The proposed contract with HR360 provides for the implementation of pre-release Medi-Cal services.
HR360 will identify inmates to be enrolled, HR360 will enroll inmates through My Benefits, this preliminary enrollment goes electronically to Health and Human Services - Employment and Eligibility’s (E&E) to complete the application process. As the County experts in Medi-Cal enrollment, E&E will assist during the implementation and ongoing efforts of establishing the pre-release Medi-Cal enrollment process.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board of Supervisors could choose not to approve the contract; however, this alternative is not recommended as the proposed services are critical to re-entry success and reducing recidivism and this vendor was selected through a competitive RFP process.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the contract as to form. Central Services - Purchasing Division of General Services administered the RFP. County Counsel and Purchasing were consulted regarding the addition of services for the pre-release Medi-Cal application process.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION