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DATE: |
September 27, 2022 |
10 |
SUBJECT
Title
AUTHORIZE SINGLE SOURCE PROCUREMENT FOR CONTRACT WITH YMCA OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOR THE EMERGENCY CHILD CARE BRIDGE PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE, AUTHORIZE SUBRECIPIENT AGREEMENT(S) FOR SUBSIDIZED CHILD CARE VOUCHERS FOR FAMILIES REUNIFYING, AND AUTHORIZE APPLICATION FOR FUTURE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
On June 8, 2021 (3), the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) took critical action in advancing support to vulnerable San Diego County residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic by approving a framework for the use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. As part of this framework, under the Child Care Subsidies component, funding was allocated for the Child Care Voucher Program for Targeted Populations. Recently, on August 30, 2022 (20), the Board revisited the ARPA Framework, reallocating some balances projected to be remaining after Fiscal Year 2024-25. This action resulted in a total of $1.5 million in ARPA funds remaining for the Child Care Voucher Program for Targeted Populations. Nationally, child welfare systems serve a disproportionate number of families living below the poverty line. Families with low socioeconomic status are over 40 times more likely to enter the child welfare system than median-income families. Research also indicates that families with open child welfare cases (mostly neglect-related) who receive home-based services with concrete supports including child care, are less likely to experience a child maltreatment report compared to families who receive the program without any concrete supports.
To remove barriers to the placement of children in foster care with home-based caregivers, California Senate Bill 89 was signed into law in 2017 and allows counties to participate in the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children (Bridge Program). The Bridge Program provides trauma-informed, quality child care to children in foster care.
The Bridge Program requires counties to enter into an agreement with the local child care resource and referral agency for navigator services and trauma-informed training offered through the program, and allows the ability to contract or enter into agreements with local Alternative Payment Programs to distribute child care vouchers at the discretion of the counties. For over 40 years, the YMCA of San Diego County (YMCA) is the only organization in San Diego County that serves as the child care resource and referral agency, providing a comprehensive scope of emergency critical child care services, resources, and support to the foster care population. On February 13, 2018 (6), the Board authorized the single source procurement to contract with the YMCA for the Bridge Program. The current contract is set to expire on December 31, 2022. Today’s action if approved, will authorize a new contract with the YMCA to continue serving children in foster care, supporting placement stability.
The primary goal for children in foster care is to safely return home to their families. Once children reunify with their parents, there is not a program similar to the Bridge Program that provides parents with an equitable opportunity for emergency child care while pending approval and acceptance into long-term subsidized child care. As noted, on August 30, 2022 (20), the Board approved the utilization of $1.5 million in ARPA funding for child care vouchers for families impacted by the pandemic. Utilizing these vouchers for families with children between the ages of 0-12 to provide subsidized child care at the time of reunification will resolve a current gap in services.
If approved, today’s actions will authorize a single source procurement to contract with the YMCA for the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program. In addition, today’s actions will authorize the transfer of appropriations of $1.5 million from Finance Other, appropriated for the Child Care Subsidies component of the ARPA funds, to the Health and Human Services Agency, Services & Supplies for the Child Care Voucher Program for Targeted Populations; and authorize the Agency Director, Health and Human Services Agency, upon successful negotiations, to execute a subrecipient agreement(s) with local State-authorized Alternative Payment Programs to offer subsidized child care vouchers for families reunifying with their children. Lastly, today’s actions will authorize the Agency Director, Health and Human Services Agency, to apply for any additional funding opportunities, if available, to support trauma-informed quality child care to children interacting with the child welfare system.
This item supports the County of San Diego’s vision of a just, sustainable, and resilient future for all, specifically those communities and populations in San Diego County that have been historically left behind, as well as our ongoing commitment to the regional Live Well San Diego vision of healthy, safe, and thriving communities. This will be accomplished by providing critical child care services, resources, and supports needed to keep children in nurturing family homes with families and caregivers, and a focus on improving sustainability and equitable wellbeing outcomes for children and youth in and exiting the foster care system.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
1. In accordance with Board Policy A-87, Competitive Procurement, and Administrative Code section 401, approve and authorize the Director, Department of Purchasing and Contracting to enter into negotiations with the YMCA of San Diego County and upon successful negotiations and a determination of fair and reasonable price, award a contract for the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children , for the period of up to one year and up to four option years, and up to six additional months if needed, subject to the availability of funds; and to amend the contracts as required to reflect changes in services and funding allocations, subject to the approval of the Agency Director, Health and Human Services Agency.
2. Authorize the Agency Director, Health and Human Services Agency, upon successful negotiations, to execute a subrecipient agreement or agreements with local State-authorized Alternative Payment Programs to offer subsidized child care vouchers for families reunifying with their children.
3. Transfer appropriations of $1,500,000 from the Finance Other, General Miscellaneous Expense, Other Charges, appropriated for the Child Care Subsidies component of the American Rescue Plan Act funds, to the Health and Human Services Agency, Services & Supplies for the Child Care Voucher Program for Targeted Populations.
4. Authorize the Agency Director, Health and Human Services Agency, to apply for any additional funding opportunities, if available, to support trauma trauma-informed quality child care to children interacting with the child welfare system.
EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT
On July 1, 2022, there were 1,963 children ages 0 to 17 in out-of-home care. The ethnic breakdown includes 2 percent Asian/Pacific Islander, 18 percent Black, 51 percent Hispanic, 1 percent Native American, 27 percent White, and 1 percent (4) Other. Of the 1,963 children ages 0 to 17 in out-of-home care, 91 percent were placed in home-based family care with caregivers who provide children with a feeling of safety, permanence, and well-being when they can no longer safely remain with their family of origin due to abuse, neglect, and/or abandonment.
One of the primary concrete barriers to potential families seeking the placement of a child in foster care is child care. The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, Child Welfare Services (CWS) partners with the YMCA of San Diego County (YMCA) to provide eligible caregivers who are caring for a child in foster care with equitable access to time-limited child care vouchers and child care navigator services through the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children. Re-authorizing the contract with the YMCA will continue the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program to serve youth in foster care.
Research shows that families with open child welfare cases (mostly neglect-related) who receive home-based services with concrete supports including child care, are less likely to experience a child maltreatment report compared to families who receive the program without any concrete supports. Growing studies in this area also indicate that jurisdictions with more flexible child care program policies regarding subsidies for child welfare-supervised children have, on average, significantly fewer child removals than other jurisdictions. CWS reunifies approximately 450 children a year and is committed to identifying specific actions and providing targeted services to meet the diverse needs of children and families and improving the equitable distribution of family strengthening services that advance racial equity, improve wellbeing, and build resiliency in underserved communities.
SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT
The proposed action to reauthorize the contract with the YMCA of San Diego County to continue providing accessible child care to children in foster care and execute an agreement(s) with local State-authorized Alternative Payment Programs to offer child care vouchers to families reunifying with their children supports the County of San Diego’s Sustainability Goals of providing just and equitable access to resource allocation and expands availability of quality and affordable child care. Investments in concrete supports such as child care subsidies and vouchers reduces economic hardships and contributes to efforts to strengthen families, prevent child maltreatment, and reduce the likelihood of child welfare involvement. This action will provide the supports needed for families to build resilience and improve child and family well-being and reduce maltreatment-related costs in the long-term.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funds for this request are included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-2024 County of San Diego Operational Plan. If approved, this request will result in costs and revenue of approximately $2,000,000 in FY 2022-23 and costs and revenue of approximately $2,000,000 in FY 2023-24. The $2,000,000 includes $1,500,000 of annual cost for the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children and $500,000 for the one-time child care vouchers funded by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The $1,500,000 for the one-time child care vouchers funded by ARPA will cover costs over three years beginning FY 2022-23. The funding sources are ARPA and Social Services Administrative Revenue. There will be no net General Fund cost and no additional staff years.
BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT
N/A
Details
ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT
This item was presented to the Child and Family Strengthening Advisory Board as an informational item on May 13, 2022.
BACKGROUND
On June 8, 2021 (3), the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) took critical action in advancing support to vulnerable San Diego residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and approved a framework for the use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. As part of this framework, under the Child Care Subsidies component, funding was allocated for the Child Care Voucher Program for Targeted Populations. Recently, on August 30, 2022 (20), the Board revisited the ARPA Framework, reallocating some balances projected to be remaining after Fiscal Year 2024-25. This action resulted in a total of $1.5 million in ARPA funds remaining for the Child Care Voucher Program for Targeted Populations. Nationally, child welfare systems serve a disproportionate number of families living below the poverty line. Families with low socioeconomic status are over 40 times more likely to enter the child welfare system than median-income families. Research also indicates that families with open child welfare cases (mostly neglect-related) who receive home-based services with concrete supports including child care are less likely to experience a child maltreatment report compared to families who receive the program without any concrete supports.
To remove barriers to the placement of children in foster care with resource families, California Senate Bill 89 was signed into law in 2017 and allows counties to participate in the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children (Bridge Program). The Bridge Program allows counties to provide time-limited concrete and economic supports for child care upon an emergency placement of a child in home-based family care. The Bridge Program requires counties to enter into an agreement with the local child care resource and referral agency for navigator services and trauma-informed training offered through the program, and allows the ability to contract with local Alternative Payment Programs to distribute subsidized child care vouchers at the discretion of the counties.
For over 40 years, the YMCA of San Diego County (YMCA) is the only organization in San Diego County that serves as the child care resource and referral agency, providing a comprehensive scope of emergency critical child care services, resources, and support to the foster care population. The spectrum of services is uniquely designed to provide caregivers with urgent concrete support to safely care for youth upon entry into foster care. On February 13, 2018 (6), the Board authorized a single source procurement to contract with the YMCA for the administration of the Bridge Program. The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, Child Welfare Services partners with the YMCA to provide child care services and supports including on-site technical assistance and coaching as requested, to caregivers in licensed foster homes, foster family agencies, approved Relative and Non-Related Extended Family Members, and families pending Resource Family approval.
Services and supports provided by the YMCA under the Bridge Program include:
• Monthly child care vouchers for eligible resource families for up to six months and not to exceed 12 months under extenuating circumstances;
• Child care navigator services to identify child care options that are appropriate to the child’s age and needs and that meet the resource family’s needs;
• Assistance with completing child care applications, enrolling into a child care program, and accessing information and resources about long-term child care and school readiness; and
• Trauma-informed care training, coaching, and on-site technical assistance for licensed child care providers interacting with children, and children of parenting youth, in foster care.
In Fiscal Year 2021-22, the YMCA, through the Bridge Program, provided 1,251 child care paid vouchers for a total of 339 children enrolled with the Bridge Program. Of the 339 children enrolled, 53 percent (180) of the children were accepted for long-term subsidized child care. Additionally, 701 child care providers participated in trauma-informed training provided by the YMCA and of that number, 84 percent of providers reported that they strongly agreed that the training helped to better support foster youth in their care. The current contract for the Bridge Program is set to expire on December 31, 2022. Today’s actions request approval to authorize a new single source procurement to contract with the YMCA for the Bridge Program.
Due to its role as the sole child care resource and referral agency in San Diego County, the YMCA qualifies for a single source contract to administer the Bridge Program pursuant to Board Policy A-87, Competitive Procurement:
Section 1D3: The procurement is for services from a provider with unique knowledge, skill, or ability not available from other sources.
Expansion Towards Equitable Access to Quality Child Care
While the Bridge Program provides trauma-informed quality child care to children in foster care, once children reunify with their parents, there is not a similar program that provides parents with an equitable opportunity for emergency child care while pending approval and acceptance into long term subsidized child care. This issue, combined with multiple material and economic hardships, can overload a family, particularly families with lower income. A recent study shows that each additional month that low-income mothers receive a child care subsidy is associated with a 16 percent decrease in the odds of a neglect report in the following 12 months.
If approved, the use of ARPA funding will enhance child care supports to biological families reunifying with their children from foster care and provide these families with up to six months of child care vouchers to bolster family stability and sustainability as modeled in the Bridge Program. CWS will engage the two local Alternative Payment Programs, YMCA and Child Development Associates , to offer child care vouchers to families reunifying. The priority population for the program expansion will include single parents and children with disabilities. Today’s actions authorize the transfer of appropriations of $1.5 million in ARPA funding to the Health and Human Services Agency for the Child Care Voucher Program for Targeted Populations; and requests the Board authorize the Agency Director, HHSA, upon successful negotiations, to execute a subrecipient agreement, or agreements, with local State-authorized Alternative Payment Programs to offer subsidized child care vouchers for families reunifying with their children.
To sustain the supports that the ARPA funding will provide reunifying families, CWS will explore and pursue other funding sources, grant-funding opportunities, and monitor legislation in support of expanding the Bridge Program to serve families reunifying or similar efforts. Today’s actions also request authorization to apply for any additional funding opportunities to support trauma-informed quality child care for children interacting with the child welfare system.
LINKAGE TO THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO STRATEGIC PLAN
Today’s proposed actions support the Sustainability (Economy and Resiliency), Equity (Health) and Community (Quality of Life and Partnership) initiatives in the County of San Diego’s 2022-2027 Strategic Plan, as well as the regional Live Well San Diego vision, by providing increased access to concrete and economic resources to families to support family strengthening and sustainability; and improve equitable outcomes in achieving enhanced family well-being.
Respectfully submitted,
HELEN N. ROBBINS-MEYER
Chief Administrative Officer
ATTACHMENT(S)
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