Agenda

Return

C. 68

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Anna Roth, Health Services Director
Date:	July 13, 2021

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Amendment #24-308-51 with Early Childhood Mental Health Program

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 07/13/2021

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:	Suzanne Tavano, Ph.D., 925-957-5201
cc:	Marcy Wilhelm

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: July 13, 2021
Monica Nino, County Administrator

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Health Services Director, or designee, to execute on behalf of the County Contract Amendment Agreement #24-308-52 with Early Childhood Mental Health Program, a non-profit corporation, effective April 1, 2021, to amend Contract #24-308-51 to increase the per minute billing rates due to COVID-19, with no change in the original payment limit of $3,522,402 or term of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021 and no change in the six-month automatic extension through December 31, 2021 in an amount not to exceed $1,761,201.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit provides comprehensive and preventive health care services for children under age 21 who are enrolled in Medi-Cal. EPSDT services are one hundred percent reimbursable per Medi-Cal guidelines. The contract rates for the April-June time period were lowered assuming a resumption of normal school activity. Because of the unanticipated delay with the schools returning to full capacity the provider was unable to meet the required units of service production. As we have done throughout the COVID epidemic (and allowed per State flexibility regulations) we are reverting back to the higher rates in effect from July 2020-March 2021 until the demand returns to a normalized level. There is no adverse fiscal impact with this action and the incremental cost will be offset by EPSDT/Medi-Cal revenue.

BACKGROUND:

COVID-19 is having continued negative impact on contracted providers’ ability to deliver necessary behavioral health services to Contra Costa County youth who are Medi-Cal beneficiaries eligible for entitlement services. Shelter-in-place orders have required a transition from in-person services, to remote delivery of care through use of tele-health. Since many behavioral health services to youth are school-based, the current suspension of in-person classes continues to require more outreach and engagement of children and their families in the community. While the transition to tele-health occurred fairly rapidly there are continued challenges to operations of these non-profit organizations that provide critical services to vulnerable residents of Contra Costa County. The on-going social distancing requirements to prevent disease transmission are essential but do make delivery of critical services extremely challenging and at times not possible.

On December 8, 2020, the Board of Supervisors approved #24-308-51 with Early Childhood Mental Health Program, in an amount not to exceed $3,522,402, to provide specialized mental health services including in-home behavioral health services to children and their families in West County, for the period from July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021. This Agreement includes a six-month automatic extension through December 31, 2021, in an amount not to exceed $1,761,201.

Approval of Amendment #24-308-52 will allow the rate adjustments, applicable to the contract and automatic extension, to provide cash flow and budget predictability and allow the services to continue through December 31, 2021.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

If this amendment agreement is not approved the seriously emotionally disturbed youth may experience reduced or discontinued behavioral health services.

CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:

The recommendation supports the following children's outcomes: 1, 2, 4 & 5.