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Approve a contract with Seneca Family of Agencies to provide county referred youth and their families with in-home Wraparound therapeutic services for an amount not to exceed $721,525 in Youthful Offender Block Grant (YOBG) funds for the term of May 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021; Delegate authority to the County Administrator, pending County Counsel concurrence, to execute the contract and any future amendments up to 10% of the total contract amount not to exceed $75,000; and Authorize the Chief of Probation to execute any amendments which are technical or administrative in nature
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Published Notice Required? Yes_____ No__X__
Public Hearing Required? Yes_____ No__X__
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Probation Department recommends that the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve a contract with Seneca Family of Agencies to provide county referred youth and their families with in-home Wraparound therapeutic services for an amount not to exceed $721,525 for the term of May 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021.
2. Delegate authority to the County Administrator pending County Counsel concurrence to execute the contract and any future amendments including changes to terms and conditions, scope of services and modifications to contract limits up to 10% of the total contract amount not to exceed $75,000.
3. Authorize the Chief of Probation to execute any future contract amendments that are administrative or technical in nature.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
Seneca Family of Agencies is a California non-profit mental health agency that provides family based clinical services, including Wraparound Services to youth and families in need. Founded on the principles of the National Wraparound Model, the Solano County Wraparound Program began in July of 2011. Wraparound provides care that is family-centered, strength-based, highly individualized, and culturally competent. This service is a preventative intervention for youth that are at-risk of being placed in a group home or out-of-home care and is also utilized to support youth who are “stepping down” to a family-like setting from a group home or juvenile hall. The population of youth and families served in the Wraparound program are often multi-stressed families that have complex needs and require an intensive and comprehensive service.
The Solano County Wraparound Program offers a range of flexible services including intensive behavioral intervention, permanency planning, team building, parenting support, therapeutic crisis intervention, case management, safety planning, individual and family therapy, and team meeting facilitation. Youth and their families have access to a 24 hour, 7 days a week support line that assists with safety planning and problem solving when a potential crisis or escalation arises. The support line is staffed by an on-call member of the Wraparound team who provides over-the-phone coaching and, if needed, in-person support to maintain the safety of the youth and his or her family and/or caregivers. Youth may also access up to seven days of 24-hour in-home staff support to cope with periods of intense mental health needs and allow the treatment team time to identify and activate more natural supports. Both services are key resources for sustaining community placements and allows the Wraparound team to assist youth and their families with increasing skills and building a network of support. The Solano Wraparound team works in close partnership with Child Welfare Services (CWS), County Mental Health and Juvenile Probation as well as with the youth’s school and community resources local to the family. Currently, CWS manages the County contract that includes 16 slots, of which two are designated to the Probation Department.
The Probation Department (Department) uses Wraparound as a precursor to prevent out of home placement. With nearly 200 youth under the Department’s jurisdiction and approximately 50 percent of the population at high or very high risk to recidivate, the ability to service only two youth at a time is insufficient. In addition, the Department has a Family Preservation caseload specifically for youth at imminent risk of being removed from their home as a result of delinquency and identified family-based issues. This caseload serves 15 youth, and if a slot is utilized for placement re-entry, only one of the youths under Family Preservation would receive Wraparound service support. Family Preservation youth need a higher level of service, which would be afforded through the increase of Wraparound slots in this contract to at least 6 youths per month.
In addition to increasing the number of Wraparound slots for youth, the contract also includes a clinician to support the youth on the Family Preservation caseload who do not receive Wraparound support. This additional support of at least 12 youth per month would hopefully keep youth in a family environment and eliminate the need for out of home placement. For youth returning home from out of home placement, this service would help strengthen the family unit and provide stabilization services upon re-entry. Further, in line with Senate Bill 163, along with the with the passing of the Community Care Reform (CCR) and Families First Prevention Services Acts, legislative efforts are in support of expanded family-based services for at risk youth in an effort to avoid removal.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The maximum amount for the contract ($721,525) is funded by the Youthful Offender Block Grant (YOBG) and has been included in the Department’s FY2019/2020 Adopted Budget. There is no additional impact to the County General Fund.
The cost of preparing this item is minimal and is absorbed in the Department’s FY2019/20 Adopted Budget.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board of Supervisors could choose:
1. Not to award the contract to Seneca for Wraparound services. This action is not recommended due to the need to provide case management, family therapy, crisis intervention, safety and transition planning services to County youth and their families; these services are critical to Department operations in order to reduce recidivism.
2. Not to delegate signing authority to the County Administrator to execute the standard contract and amendments that remain within budget appropriations. This action is not recommended as it would reduce flexibility and timeliness in completing the scope of work outlined in the contract.
3. Not to authorize the Chief of Probation to approve and execute any future contract amendments. This action is not recommended and is not practical as it would require the Department to request Board approval for routine matters such as minor technical or administrative changes.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION