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DATE: |
December 10, 2024 |
10 |
SUBJECT
Title
AUTHORIZE PROCUREMENT OF A SINGLE SOURCE CONTRACT WITH GROSSMONT-CUYAMACA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT FOR THE FOSTER, ADOPTIVE, AND KINSHIP CARE EDUCATION PROGRAM (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
In 1984, California established the Foster and Kinship Care Education (FKCE) program, assigning the California Community College Chancellor's (Chancellor’s) Office to manage the program and provide funding for community colleges to train current and potential resource families. On January 1, 2017, California launched the Resource Family Approval (RFA) process, simplifying the system by merging foster parent licensing, relative caregiver approval, adoption, and guardianship into one unified, family-friendly process for all prospective resource families.
Since 1986, Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District has provided training and support to resource families in San Diego County. The FKCE program at Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District (Grossmont) provides state-required training for resource parents. The County of San Diego (County) Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) has also provided additional funding to extend training to adoptive parents. Since 1993, HHSA Child and Family Well-Being Department, formerly Child Welfare Services, has partnered with Grossmont through multi-year contracts to deliver the Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship Care Education (FAKCE) program.
The current contract with Grossmont, approved by San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) on February 11, 2020 (10), expires on June 30, 2025. The Chancellor’s Office, as part of its Fiscal Year 2024-25 compendium of allocations, has reaffirmed Grossmont's designation as the exclusive provider of the FAKCE Program in San Diego County, entrusting them with the administration of State funding allocated under Proposition 98 to support program services.
Today’s action requests the Board authorize procurement of a single source contract with Grossmont for the initial term of one year and up to four option years and six months, as needed, to deliver the FAKCE program.
Today’s action supports the County 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 furthering efforts to support the well-being and safety of vulnerable children by ensuring resource families receive education, training, and support to provide quality parenting.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
In accordance with Board Policy A-87, Competitive Procurement, approve and authorize the Director, Department of Purchasing and Contracting to enter into negotiations with Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District and subject to successful negotiations and a determination of a fair and reasonable price, award a contract for the Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship Care Education Program, for the period of up to one year and up to four option years, and up to six additional months if needed, pending availability of funds, and to amend the contract as needed to reflect changes in services or funding.
EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT
The Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship Care Education (FAKCE) program enhances equity by providing equal access to critical training and support for all resource families, regardless of their financial or social standing. Many resource families, particularly those from historically marginalized or low-income backgrounds, face obstacles in accessing the necessary resources to care for children who have experienced trauma. By offering accessible education and guidance, FAKCE helps eliminate these disparities, empowering resource families to provide quality care. This program creates a more inclusive child welfare system, where every resource family can succeed, and children in care benefit from stable, well-informed households. The program provides all families the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their circumstances.
The Trauma Informed Pre-Service (TIPS), provided under FAKCE, is a required 12-hour training program for caregivers seeking to become resource families, ensuring they are equipped to care for children who have experienced trauma. The training provides essential knowledge about the impact of trauma on children's behavior, emotions, and development, offering strategies for managing challenges and promoting healing. In Fiscal Year 2023-24, 377 newly approved resource families completed the TIPS training, including 167 families with multiple applicants, totaling 544 applicants. Over 35% of applicants identified as White or Caucasian (35.85%) and Hispanic or Latinx (35.29%), followed by Black or African American applicants at 11.76%, with smaller percentages across other racial and ethnic groups.
The FAKCE program uses a self-assessment tool, administered as both a pre- and post-survey, to evaluate participants’ knowledge and awareness gained throughout the training sessions and to allow resource families an opportunity to provide feedback regarding the training and the trainer.
SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT
Today’s proposed action supports the County of San Diego (County) Sustainability Goal #1, to engage the community in meaningful ways and to foster inclusive and sustainable communities. The County Health and Human Services Agency, Child and Family Well-Being Department gathers community feedback throughout the year through Quality Parenting Initiative meetings, Child and Family Strengthening Advisory Board meetings, County customer experience surveys, and the assigned social worker. Community feedback is used to learn about the level of satisfaction with customer service, the resource family application process, and to identify areas for improvement.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funds for this request are included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-26 Operational Plan in the Health and Human Services Agency. If approved, this request will result in no costs and revenue in FY 2024-25 and estimated costs and revenue ranging from $360,000 to $560,000 in FY 2025-26 subject to the availability of funds. The funding sources are Social Services Administrative Revenues, allocated State General Funds for Complex Care Capacity Building, and Realignment. There will be no change in net General Fund cost and no additional staff years.
BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT
N/A
Details
ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT
This item was presented as an informational item to the Child and Family Strengthening Advisory Board at its regular meeting on October 25, 2024.
BACKGROUND
In 1984, California legislation established the Foster and Kinship Care Education (FKCE) program and designated the California Community College Chancellor's (Chancellor’s) Office as the agency to administer the program and make funding available to community colleges to provide education and training to potential and existing foster parents. Beginning January 1, 2017, State legislation implemented Resource Family Approval (RFA) as a new family-friendly and child-centered foster caregiver approval process that combines elements of the previous foster parent licensing, relative approval, and approvals for adoption and guardianship for one streamlined process for all prospective resource families. RFA emphasizes the importance of both pre-approval and post-approval training for all resource families. This includes foster parents, relative caregivers, adoptive families, guardians, and extended family members, whether or not they are biologically related to the child. A key pre-approval requirement within the RFA program is the Trauma-Informed Pre-Service (TIPS) training, a mandatory 12-hour program that equips caregivers with the tools and understanding necessary to support children who have experienced trauma, ensuring they can provide a safe and nurturing environment. The State requires that prospective resource families attend pre-approval training, annual training, and other related activities at the beginning of their foster parenting career and through the adoption process, enhancing the quality of care for children placed in their home.
Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District (Grossmont) has been providing resource families in San Diego County with training and other related activities since 1986. The Foster and Kinship Care Education Program is a statewide program funded by the Chancellor’s Office and provides state required trainings for resource parents. The County of San Diego (County) Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) has enhanced support for resource families and foster placement stability by offering specialized trainings and classes, such as Kinship Adoption, Embracing Your Child’s Heritage, and mentorship services. These efforts build on the foundation of funding for this program, which has expanded to include training for adoptive parents and has grown into the Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship Care Education (FAKCE) program. The goal of FAKCE is to provide quality workshops, classes, and support opportunities that assist the resource families to be better informed and well prepared to meet the educational, behavioral, and developmental needs of children in foster care, and enhance the quality of care for the children placed in these homes. The FAKCE program also promotes foster/adoptive and social work collaboration by providing an element of support that assists in the retention and success of these important resources for children.
Since 1993, the County Child and Family Well-Being Department (CFWB), formerly Child Welfare Services, has contracted with Grossmont for the provision of the FAKCE program. FAKCE utilizes satisfaction surveys and comment cards at the end of each training session, to evaluate program effectiveness and program satisfaction. It also allows participants to provide feedback regarding the training and the trainer. In Fiscal Year 2023-24, the FAKCE program coordinated 110 Foster Care and Adoptive Parent Initial Trainings with over 80% of participants reporting an increase in their knowledge and awareness as a result of the trainings.
In April 2023, CFWB submitted a three-year plan for the Complex Care Capacity Building (CCCB) funds, distributed by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS). This plan, later approved by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) on September 12, 2023 (10), aims to strengthen the care-delivery system to ensure that every child and youth has access to family-based caregivers. The proposal, which identified several gaps in the local continuum of care regarding placement and support services for placements, was developed with input from the Interagency Leadership Team that includes representatives from County Behavioral Health Services, Juvenile Court, San Diego County Office of Education, San Diego Regional Center, local tribes, Department of Rehabilitation, County Probation Department, and other key stakeholders.
Funds from the CCCB will enhance the current resource parent mentor program by expanding to include 10 trained resource families serving as peer mentors, available evenings and weekends, to provide short-term crisis interventions aimed at preventing foster care placement disruptions. Support will be offered in both English and Spanish, focusing on crisis-driven techniques. This community-based, culturally responsive, peer support program will strengthen connections within the resource parent community and build strong relationships with CFWB staff, serving families countywide.
Justification for Single Source Procurement
Grossmont qualifies for a single source contract to provide the FAKCE program based on the following section of Board Policy A-87, Section 1D-3: The procurement is for services from a provider with unique knowledge, skill, or ability not available from other sources.
On September 18, 2024, Grossmont was selected by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to be the sole provider of the FAKCE Program in San Diego County and to utilize the allocated State funding from Proposition 98 for the program services. Proposition 98 mandates a minimum level of annual funding for K-12 public schools and community colleges based on a formula tied to state revenue, economic growth, and student enrollment. As the designated FAKCE provider in the region, Grossmont is the only entity able to leverage the Proposition 98 funding to provide additional foster and kinship education services to kinship caregivers and resource families, as required under RFA, and go beyond what the State requires under the Foster and Kinship Care Education Program by expanding services to adoptive parents.
The current contract with Grossmont, approved by the Board on February 11, 2020 (10), is set to expire on June 30, 2025. The contract funding pays for additional FAKCE trainings and specialty classes such as Kinship Adoption, Embracing Your Child’s Heritage, and mentor services and supports, which is a significant benefit to resource families and the County as it works to support foster placement stability.
Today’s action requests the Board to authorize the exception to competitive procurement for training programs for Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship families provided by Grossmont, in accordance with Policy A-87, Competitive Procurements, and to award a contract for up to one year and up to four option years and additional six months if needed, and to amend the contract as needed to reflect changes to services or funding, subject to the availability of funds and subject to approval of the Agency Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, HHSA.
LINKAGE TO THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO STRATEGIC PLAN
Today’s action aligns with the County of San Diego 2024-2029 Strategic Plan initiatives of Community (Quality of Life) and Sustainability (Resiliency) as well as the regional Live Well San Diego vision of healthy, safe and thriving communities.
Respectfully submitted,
ebony n. shelton
Chief Administrative Officer
ATTACHMENT(S)
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