RECOMMENDATION(S): (CONT'D)
3. AUTHORIZE the Employment and Human Services Director, or designee, to negotiate the contracts with the foregoing parties, each in an amount not to exceed $80,000 to provide child abuse prevention and intervention services, for the period August 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The contracts have an aggregate cost of $640,000 for FY 22/23 and are funded by 45% CAPIT 2011 Realignment (Child Abuse Prevention, Intervention and Treatment), 33% County Children’s Trust, 12% Ann Adler Donations, and 10% Federal CBCAP (Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention).
BACKGROUND:
The Family and Children’s Trust (FACT) Committee was established in 1985 by the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors to make funding recommendations on the allocation of a variety of funds for prevention and intervention services to reduce child abuse and neglect, provide supportive services to families and children, and promote a more coordinated, seamless system of services for families. Funding for FACT supported projects derive from federal and state program legislation and donations to the County FACT fund.
At the September 27, 2021 FACT Committee Special Meeting, the FACT Committee voted and approved release of the FACT Request for Proposal (RFP) 1181 which was solicited through an open bid process. Under normal circumstances and according to the FACT bylaws, the FACT Committee would complete the RFP Proposal evaluations for each proposal response received, review and discuss the evaluation scoring in an open FACT evaluation meeting, and vote and approve the final funding recommendations to the Board of Supervisors to be put forth to contracts.
Unfortunately, due to unexpected vacancies, the FACT Committee does not currently maintain a voting quorum and has two members that have been excused from the current RFP evaluation and discussion process due to conflict of interest. As a result, the FACT Committee was not able to finalize the RFP process nor schedule as originally planned. In absence of a voting quorum, to avoid further delay in the RFP schedule and ensure the community based organizations and the youth/families receiving services do not experience a potential lapse in service, alternate options to award and fund the resulting CBOs was requested and approved through the County Administrator's Office. As a result, EHSD requests the Board of Supervisors approve the FACT RFP 1181 awards absent a recommendation from the FACT Committee, but based on FACT Committee member proposal scoring evaluations and resulting EHSD staff recommendation.
RFP Process: EHSD Children and Family Services administers the FACT program in collaboration with the FACT Committee. The FACT Committee leveraged available and current Contra Costa County needs assessment data, reports and literature to identify the RFP funding priorities to support the prevention of child abuse and/or neglect, or children at risk of abuse or neglect and to provide supportive services to their families through the support of prevention and intervention programs in the community during this RFP cycle. See Attachment A.
The RFP was published and announced on November 11, 2021, a Bidder’s Conference was held on November 29, 2021 and responses were due no later than December 22, 2021. A total of nine (9) proposal responses were received in response to the RFP, and each supported the requested funding priorities.
Six (6) of the eight (8) FACT Committee members reviewed, evaluated and scored the nine (9) proposal responses. EHSD staff to FACT compiled the individual evaluation results and ranked the proposal respondents 1 to 9 based on overall average score (highest – 1 to lowest - 9). See Attachment B.
After review, evaluation, scoring and ranking of the nine (9) proposals submitted, the following eight (8) agencies are recommended for funding. The ninth proposal with the lowest score is not recommended for funding.
1. Child Abuse Prevention Council of Contra Costa County – Nurturing Parent Program
2. UJIMA Family Recovery Services – Family Wellness Program
3. Mt. Diablo Unified School District / Crossroads High School – Pregnant & Parenting Teen Education (CBCAP)
4. Contra Costa Interfaith Housing, dba Hope Solutions – Clinical and Academic Support Services for Homeless and Poverty Impacted Families
5. Bay Area Crisis Nursery – Crisis Nursery Services
6. STAND! For Families Free of Violence – Breaking the Cycle
7. Bay Area Community Resources – Promoting Family Resiliency and Wellness
8. C.O.P.E. Family Support Center – Supporting Father Involvement
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Funding for prevention and intervention services to abused and neglected children, and children at risk of abuse or neglect and their families could not be provided to community based organizations, thereby eliminating program support by FACT dollars, which in turn puts State related FACT funding (CAPIT and CBCAP) at risk for future allocation.
CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
Contracts resulting from the RFP will support all five of the community outcomes established in the Children's Report Card, 1) "Children Ready for and Succeeding in School"; 2) "Children and Youth Healthy and Preparing for Productive Adulthood"; 3) "Families that are Economically Self Sufficient"; 4) "Families that are Safe, Stable and Nurturing"; and, 5) "Communities that are Safe and Provide a High Quality of Life for Children and Families" by mitigating the occurrence of child abuse and neglect, and providing support services and guidance to strengthen the family unit.
CLERK'S ADDENDUM
Speakers: Caller 6770.