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DATE: |
December 5, 2023 |
04 |
SUBJECT
Title
AUTHORIZE COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS FOR SERVICES IN PROBATION FACILITIES AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
The County of San Diego Probation Department (Probation) provides a comprehensive array of programs and services to Probation clients and their families throughout the County in Probation facilities and in the community. These services are delivered through County-operated programs, as well as through contracted services.
Today’s actions request the County of San Diego Board of Supervisors to authorize competitive solicitations for contracts to continue providing youth-focused programs including family therapy, alternatives to detention, credible messenger mentoring, and food and healthcare services for Probation detention facilities. These programs support Probation’s mission of fulfilling clients’ needs, using evidence-based and best practices in the continuum of care and promoting public safety.
These actions support the County of San Diego’s vision of a just, sustainable, and resilient future for all. These services will help justice-involved clients acquire life skills, gain self-sufficiency, and avoid recidivism, while protecting community safety.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
1. In accordance with Section 401, Article XXIII of the County Administrative Code, authorize the Director, Department of Purchasing and Contracting, to issue a competitive solicitation for family therapy services, and upon successful negotiation and determination of fair and reasonable price, award contracts for an initial term of one (1) year with up to four (4) one-year options and an additional six months if needed, subject to the availability of funds and a need for the services, and to amend the contract as needed to reflect changes to services and funding, subject to the approval of the Chief Probation Officer.
2. In accordance with Section 401, Article XXIII of the County Administrative Code, authorize the Director, Department of Purchasing and Contracting, to issue a competitive solicitation for alternatives to detention, and upon successful negotiation and determination of fair and reasonable price, award contracts for an initial term of one (1) year with up to four (4) one-year options and an additional six months if needed, subject to the availability of funds and a need for the services, and to amend the contract as needed to reflect changes to services and funding, subject to the approval of the Chief Probation Officer.
3. In accordance with Section 401, Article XXIII of the County Administrative Code, authorize the Director, Department of Purchasing and Contracting, to issue a competitive solicitation for the credible messenger mentoring program, and upon successful negotiation and determination of fair and reasonable price, award contracts for an initial term of one (1) year with up to four (4) one-year options and an additional six months if needed, subject to the availability of funds and a need for the services, and to amend the contract as needed to reflect changes to services and funding, subject to the approval of the Chief Probation Officer.
4. In accordance with Section 401, Article XXIII of the County Administrative Code, authorize the Director, Department of Purchasing and Contracting, to issue a competitive solicitation for the food services at Probation facilities, and upon successful negotiation and determination of fair and reasonable price, award contracts for an initial term of one (1) year with four (4) one-year options and an additional six months if needed, subject to the availability of funds and a need for the services, and to amend the contract as needed to reflect changes to services and funding, subject to the approval of the Chief Probation Officer.
5. In accordance with Section 401, Article XXIII of the County Administrative Code, authorize the Director, Department of Purchasing and Contracting, to issue a competitive solicitation for integrated healthcare services at Probation facilities, and upon successful negotiation and determination of fair and reasonable price, award contracts for an initial term of one (1) year with up to four (4) one-year options and an additional six months if needed, subject to the availability of funds and a need for the services, and to amend the contract as needed to reflect changes to services and funding, subject to the approval of the Chief Probation Officer.
EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT
These contracts will provide services to Probation clients and their families, including those underserved by social and health resources and populations with justice-involvement, those experiencing homelessness and those with health conditions.
SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT
Today’s proposed actions contribute to the County of San Diego’s Sustainability Goals of providing equitable access to economic opportunity and reducing outcomes of poverty like homelessness. These services will strengthen family relationships, promote client self-sufficiency, and improve client health and well-being. In addition, food will be sourced locally when possible, supporting local agriculture and reducing emissions. Food-related materials will be tracked for waste reduction, diversion, reuse, and recycling. These services will serve to strengthen the County’s efforts to maximize environmental and sustainability practices.
FISCAL IMPACT
If approved, this request will result in approximate total costs and revenue of $15.1 million of which $0.3 million in existing General Purpose Revenue is included in the Fiscal Year 2023-24 Operational Plan for Probation. Remaining costs and revenue of $14.8 million will be included in future Operational Plans for Probation. The funding sources are Juvenile Probation Activities revenue, Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act, Juvenile Justice Realignment Block Grant, and existing General Purpose Revenue. There will be no change in net General Fund cost and no additional staff years.
BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT
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Details
ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT
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BACKGROUND
Over the past decade, San Diego County juvenile justice partners have successfully collaborated to implement new and innovative programming to reduce the number of clients in the juvenile justice system while maintaining historically low crime rates in the region. However, the Probation Department and its juvenile justice partners have identified a need for more intensive, community-based services to assist clients with behaviors that may lead to violation of their court-ordered requirements but do not pose a threat to public safety. These programs include family therapy, alternatives to detention, and credible messenger mentoring programs. In addition, Probation provides food and healthcare services for youth in Probation detention facilities, in compliance with Title 15 of the California Code of Regulations (Title 15) and other applicable standards. Approval of today’s recommended actions would authorize competitive solicitations for contracts to support the continuation of critical work to advance the ongoing transformation of the justice-involved continuum of care throughout San Diego County. All contracts are contingent upon the availability of funding, successful negotiations, and determination of a fair and reasonable price.
Family Therapy Services (Countywide)
The Probation Department and its community partners regularly review the needs of youth in custody and under supervision countywide to identify effective evidence-based interventions and services to enhance outcomes. The goals are to reduce recidivism and reduce the number of youth in custody. Probation has recognized a need to provide additional treatment and support for youth at risk for delinquency, violence, gang involvement, substance use, and other behavioral risk factors. These behaviors decrease a youth’s chance of completing school and increase the risk of escalating involvement in the juvenile justice system.
Family therapy strives to strengthen adaptive family interactions and correct maladaptive patterns of family interactions that contribute to isolation, alienation from the family, substance use and gang involvement. Among the family therapy services that may be utilized are Brief Strategic Family Therapy®, Functional Family Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing techniques. These family therapy services are selected because they show considerable promise for treating delinquency and substance use disorder among adolescents. All three services are identified as well-supported evidence-based programs in the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) to support families and prevent foster care placements.
Probation contracted family therapy services initially with Mental Health America of San Diego in 2017 and then with North County Lifeline in 2020. Probation plans to reprocure these services with expanded eligibility criteria and participation in accordance with FFPSA.
Alternatives to Detention (Countywide)
The alternatives to detention program is based on best practices and evidence-based principles and is part of a continuum of services that comprise the San Diego County Comprehensive Strategy for Youth, Family, and the Community. This program provides alternatives for youth countywide who do not require secure detention and who would benefit from community-based interventions. The program is a safe and effective means of diverting youth to a community-based organization to receive services and address past actions.
Services include home detention, secure shelter, reporting centers, trauma-informed care, case management, and counseling services. The program consists of two core service paths: intensive case management and non-secure shelter, or “cool beds,” for youth who have no immediate placement option other than detention facilities and they have committed an offense that does not necessitate detention. Intensive case management includes approximately three (3) months of enhanced services, both before and after adjudication, with youth and families being assessed and linked to services as needed. Cool beds are available for youth who are unable to return home safely and could benefit from temporary shelter in a licensed foster care home, while receiving intensive case management services.
Youth completing this program have had positive outcomes, leading to success for the youth and improved public safety. In Fiscal Year 2022-2023, approximately 94% of enrolled youth avoided a new arrest leading to detention within the first six months of their case being closed. During that same period, approximately 5% of participants used cool bed services.
This program includes a nationally recognized, intensive case management, positive youth development component that consists of a multi-disciplinary team including the assigned probation officer, case manager, and other community partners. The team supports justice-involved youth through multiple daily contacts to guide them in making positive choices, while working with them to complete court ordered mandates and case plan goals. The program is guided by the philosophy that youth who have committed crimes or who are at risk of violating probation are best treated in the community. The program identifies youth on probation who require additional services to reduce violations, strengthen family relationships, and increase resiliency factors. Services include home visits, school visits, mentoring, recreational activities, educational support, and life skill development.
Credible Messenger Mentoring Program (Countywide)
In 2018, the Probation Department developed and competitively procured a credible messenger mentoring program, which now serves youth in North and Central regions of the county. This program connects former or current justice-involved individuals with youth and young adults on juvenile probation countywide to assist in their rehabilitation and aid in reduction of recidivism. This model employs community members who may have been involved in crime in the past but have found a way to escape negative influences, turn their lives around and serve as mentors. Probation works with the program and the community to select mentors with demonstrated ability to be positive role models based on their record of progress in the criminal justice system and in the community. The program hires, trains, supervises, and pays “credible messenger” mentors. Mentees include youth and young adults currently on juvenile probation. Youth involved in delinquency and gangs are more likely to be positively influenced by someone in their community who shares their life experience.
Modeled on New York City’s successful Arches Program, Probation’s comprehensive credible messenger mentoring program includes twice weekly mentor-led group meetings with evidence-based journaling curriculum, enrichment topics and dinner served; stipends paid to mentees for their progress; regular one-to-one mentor-mentee meetings; mentors assisting with mentee family engagement; personal case planning to address the mentees’ needs and positive development; mentors linking mentees to community and school-based activities and services; and operational oversight by an experienced contractor.
Food Services (Juvenile detention facilities)
The Probation Department operates two local juvenile detention facilities, the Youth Transition Campus (YTC) and East Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility. Youth in Probation’s custody may either be awaiting trial for an alleged offense or serving a post-dispositional commitment prior to transitioning back into the community. Custodial youth receive three hot meals and three snacks daily. In Fiscal Year 2022-2023, Probation’s daily custodial population averaged 230 youth, with nearly 500,000 meals served. YTC serves meals to an average daily population of 95 youth, as well as to staff members. Probation’s other juvenile facility, East Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility (EMJDF), serves meals to an average daily population of 135 youth, and staff members. Both facilities have full kitchens to facilitate onsite meal preparation.
The contractor will work with Probation to provide three healthy meals cooked and served fresh daily onsite for custodial youth and staff, as well as three snacks including a mix of fresh and pre-packaged items. Mealtimes and nutritional guidelines are scheduled in coordination with daily school schedules, Title 15, the School Breakfast Program, and the National School Lunch Program.
Probation’s contracted food services have supported a positive juvenile institutional environment for youth and staff since 2018. Youth receiving freshly prepared meals may perform better in an academic environment and experience greater levels of healthy physical development that supports their overall rehabilitation. In addition to healthy meals and snacks, youth can participate in growing food in the facilities’ horticultural gardens.
Integrated Healthcare Services (Juvenile detention facilities)
Probation is mandated to provides healthcare to youth and adults in the custody of Probation. The services are provided in accordance with Title 15 and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care standards. In fiscal year 2022-2023, Probation’s Youth Transition Campus and East Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility provided health care services to an average daily population of 225 youth. In 2022, over 2,900 medical assessments were performed, leading to over 3,770 documented treatments.
With an established commitment to optimize holistic care for youth in detention and with new opportunities driven by State reform of Medi-Cal (CalAIM), Probation will seek proposals for contracted services for integrated comprehensive, redesigned, and enhanced healthcare services specializing in providing youth with primary, urgent, and emergent healthcare. The scope of services includes intake health screenings and assessments, health education, immunizations, diagnostic procedures, testing for sexually transmitted infections, primary care with physician and mid-level provider sick calls, dental care, vision care, prenatal and postnatal care, pharmaceuticals, medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorder, behavioral services, durable medical equipment, and discharge planning. In addition, the contractor will provide health screening services to adults at Probation’s work furlough facility.
A point of greatest vulnerability for youth involved in the justice system is often when they are discharged from detention and lose access to needed care. As part of California CalAIM, there are opportunities to create robust and sustainable linkage to ongoing services in the healthcare system. CalAIM initiatives include the provision of Medi-Cal services beginning up to 90 days prior to release from custody and mandates services connecting youth from detention facilities to ongoing community care. The 90-day pre-release services may include case management, clinical consultation, laboratory and radiologic services, medication, administration of medication, and medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders. At a future date County staff will return with a plan to implement CalAIM. It is envisioned that we will provide opportunities to improve care settings that embed mental wellness and trauma-informed model in every aspect of juvenile facilities.
Today’s action requests the Board to authorize competitive solicitations and the award of contracts for each of the above-described services for an initial term of one (1) year with up to four (4) one-year options and an additional six months if needed, and to amend contracts as needed to reflect changes in services and funding.
LINKAGE TO THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO STRATEGIC PLAN
Today’s proposed action supports the Sustainability, Equity, Community, and Justice Initiatives of the County of San Diego’s 2023-2028 Strategic Plan by providing greater access to nutritious food, equitable opportunities for supportive services, and economic development to improve the quality of life for Probation clients and their families.
Respectfully submitted,
HELEN N. ROBBINS-MEYER
Interim Chief Administrative Officer
ATTACHMENT(S)
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