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Approve a 2 year contract with Choice in Aging for $1,100,000 to provide services under the Prevention and Early Access for Seniors Program approved in the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Three Year Integrated Plan for FY2017/18 through FY2019/20, for the period beginning September 1, 2018 through June 30, 2020; and Authorize the County Administrator to execute the contract and any subsequent amendments that remain within budgeted appropriations
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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 2 year contract with Choice in Aging for of $1,100,000 to provide services under the Prevention and Early Access for Seniors (PEAS) Program approved in the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Three Year Integrated Plan for FY2017/18 through FY2019/20, for the period beginning September 1, 2018 through June 30, 2020; and Authorize the County Administrator to execute the contract and any subsequent amendments that remain within budgeted appropriations.
SUMMARY:
On January 24, 2017, the Board approved the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) FY2016/17 Annual Update and the Three Year Integrated Plan for Fiscal Years 2017/18 through 2019/20. The MHSA Three-Year Plan provided funding for a program focused on the provision of prevention and early intervention services for older adults over the age of 60. This program, Prevention and Early Access for Seniors (PEAS) was previously administered by the Area Agency on Aging Serving Napa and Solano (AAoA). However, on April 19, 2018, the Governing Board of the AAoA notified the California Department of Aging (CDA) that it would not be renewing its contracts for the Older Americans Act Programs, Multi-Purpose Senior Services Program, and the SNAP-ED program for FY2018/19.
As a result, a Request for Proposal was released on June 20, 2018 to solicit a new service provider for PEAS and on August 7, 2018, a Notice of Intent to Award was posted and Choice in Aging was chosen from the eligible list to enter into a contract with H&SS to provide Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) services for Solano County residents’ age sixty and over as approved through the MHSA Three-Year Integrated Plan. In order to address the gap in services left by the closure of AAoA the Department is requesting that the Board approve a contract start date of September 1, 2018 to allow Choice in Aging to hire, onboard, and train staff in order to begin the provision of services during the month of October 2018.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
MHSA funding for the Older Adult PEI program has been approved by the MHSA Steering Committee and stakeholders as part of the MHSA Three-Year Integrated Plan FY2017/18 through FY2019/20. Appropriations for this contract and the costs associated with preparing the agenda item are included in the department’s FY2018/19 Adopted Budget. There is no additional impact to the County General Fund.
DISCUSSION:
In 2016, the County conducted a comprehensive stakeholder process with community members, local government agencies, community-based organizations, family advocates, and individuals with life experience with a mental illness for the development of the Solano County FY2017/20 MHSA Three-Year Integrated Plan and stakeholders identified the need to have prevention and early intervention services targeting the older adult population in Solano County.
Members of this population are at increased risk of homelessness, depression and anxiety related to bereavement/loss, and suicidality. Given the increased number of “baby boomers” the older adult population will continue to benefit from strategies intended to prevent or reduce the late onset of mental health conditions. The older adult prevention and early intervention service strategies are outlined in the Solano County Mental Health Services Act Three-Year Integrated Program & Expenditure Plan for FY2017/2020 as approved by the Solano County Board of Supervisors on January 10, 2017 and submitted to the state Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC) and the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS).
Choice in Aging has been providing services to the community’s frailest people since 1949. Currently, Choice in Aging provides a variety of services for the geriatric population which includes two Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) skilled nursing facilities that mirror senior centers providing engaging therapeutic services and personal care in Contra Costa County; two Multipurpose Senior Services Programs (MSSP) that provide complex case management and in-home bio-psychosocial assessments in Contra Costa, Napa, and Solano Counties; and the California Community Transitions (CCT) project that aims to transition people from institutional settings back into community living in Contra Costa, Solano and Sacramento Counties. Additionally, Choice in Aging has been providing adult daycare services, an Alzheimer’s Day Care Resources Center, and caregiver support programs for the past 40 years in Contra Costa County.
Choice in Aging recognizes that adequate care for the senior population requires advocacy, education, support, stigma elimination around aging and related disease processes, community presence, and the provision of ancillary services which include transportation, caregiver support, and community referrals. Choice in Aging proposes to continue the work in Solano County by delivering the Prevention and Early Access for Seniors (PEAS) program model previously delivered by AAoA. The program model consists of educational workshops on the identification of mental illness in the older adult population, community outreach, system navigation, community trainings in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) and e-safeTALK suicide prevention trainings, case management, mental health assessments and brief psychotherapy for adults 60 and over. The Department is requesting to enter into a contract with Choice in Aging as of September 1, 2018 to expedite the re-initiation of services that had been provided by the AAoA.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to approve this contract. This is not recommended as it would result in significantly reducing senior services which could have adverse effects in the older adult population in Solano County.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The provision of PEI services for older adults was approved by community stakeholders during the MHSA community planning process as reflected in the MHSA Three-Year Integrated Plan FY2017/20. County Counsel has reviewed the contract for legal sufficiency.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION