REPORT TO SHASTA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

BOARD MEETING DATE:  April  10, 2018
CATEGORY:  Consent - Health and Human Services-7.

SUBJECT:

Renewal agreement with Charis Youth Center

Supervisorial District No. :  All

DEPARTMENT CONTACT:  Dianna L. Wagner, Branch Director, (530) 225-5705

STAFF REPORT APPROVED BY:  Dianna L. Wagner, Branch Director

RECOMMENDATION

Approve and authorize the Chairman to sign a renewal agreement with Charis Youth Center in an amount not to exceed $300,000 to provide mental health services to eligible children for the period July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019, with two automatic one-year renewals.

SUMMARY

This proposed renewal agreement allows Charis Youth Center (Charis) to continue to provide medically necessary mental health treatment for Shasta County youth who are placed out of county in residential facilities designed to address their care and supervision as well as mental health needs.

DISCUSSION

Currently there is one youth placed in the Charis Group Home that is anticipated to continue receiving services in the next fiscal year.  This organization offers a variety of mental health treatment and residential program services to Shasta County referred dependents, Shasta County adoptees, and other Shasta County Medi-Cal beneficiaries.  The proposed agreement will allow continued services for the youth currently receiving services, and for additional Shasta County youth and their families considered appropriate for these services in the future. 

Youth who are Medi-Cal beneficiaries including those placed in out-of-home care by either Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), Probation, or through the Adoption Assistance Program become eligible for Medi-Cal.  Medically necessary Medi-Cal mental health services for eligible children are an entitlement.  HHSA as part of its Managed Care Plan is responsible for determining medical necessity, authorizing, and paying for specialty mental health services.

The services provided by Charis include mental health services designed to reduce serious behaviors and symptoms resulting from a mental illness. The goals of these services are to stabilize and reduce serious behaviors and symptoms to allow the youth to live in the least restrictive level of care, such as a resource home or with a family member when appropriate while reducing the need for more intrusive services such as psychiatric hospitalization.  Charis has provided quality services for Shasta County youth.  Progress for each individual is evaluated through quarterly reports on the frequency of identified behaviors and progress towards treatment goals.

ALTERNATIVES

The Board could choose not to approve the renewal agreement or to approve with modified terms or funding.

OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT

County Counsel has approved the agreement as to form.  Risk Management has approved the agreement.  The recommendation has been reviewed by the County Administrative Office.

FINANCING

The maximum amount of the agreement with Charis Youth Center is $300,000 during the entire term of the agreement.  The maximum compensation of this agreement was determined based on historical utilization of the provider.  These costs are included in the requested FY 2018-19 Mental Health budget.  The agreement is fee-for-service and costs will only be incurred when a Shasta County youth is receiving mental health services from Charis that have been authorized by Shasta County.  This agreement is funded with federal funds (approximately 50 percent) and a county match which is met through a combination of 1991 and 2011 realignment revenue.  Residential costs are not included in this agreement, and are supported through the Social Services foster care payment system.  There is no additional County General Fund impact with the approval of this recommendation.