Approve and authorize the Chairman to sign a retroactive second amendment effective, July 1, 2015, to the agreement with Northern Valley Catholic Social Service, Inc., for the provision of mental health wellness and recovery services: (1) Adds housing case management services; and (2) increases compensation for Fiscal Years 2015-16 and 2016-17 (from $217,142 to $230,142 per fiscal year) for a new maximum compensation of $695,520 over the term of the agreement and retaining the term June 3, 2014 through June 30, 2017.

This proposed amendment will allow Northern Valley Catholic Social Service, Inc. (NVCSS) to provide housing case management services for program participants of the mental health wellness and recovery center located in Redding. 

HHSA has been contracting with NVCSS for mental health wellness and recovery services since 2007.  In June 2014, a Request for Proposal (RFP) process for wellness and recovery services was conducted by HHSA which resulted in a new contract with NVCSS.  Services are for individuals with mental illness and their families and are provided through the Olberg Wellness Center in Redding.  When the new agreement with NVCSS was written, an oversight occurred and HHSA neglected to include resources to fund case management services to facilitate program participants accessing and maintaining permanent housing.  It is the intent of this amendment to correct that error.

The Olberg Center does not provide mental health treatment, but does provide support and assistance in obtaining or accessing mental health treatment and other community resources.  Over the last three years, NVCSS has assisted 91 chronically homeless individuals, of which 63 were staying in places not meant for human habitation, in qualifying for and obtaining rent subsidies.  When housed, the average length of stay for those assisted has been more than three years.  The amendment is retroactive to July 1, 2015, since the Olberg Center has been performing the housing case management function since the beginning of the contract.

Since the beginning of this current contract, the Olberg Center has met the objectives required, including serving an average of 25 unduplicated participants per month (required goal is 17 per month) in the first three months of fiscal year (FY) 2014-15.  The Olberg Center provided an average of 100 activities per month (activities are therapeutic, educational, and social in nature).  The agreement also requires that 75% of staff, both paid and unpaid (volunteers) be consumers.  For the first three months of FY 2014-15, a total of 88% of all staff were consumers.

The Board could choose not to approve the amendment, defer consideration to a future date, or provide direction to staff to negotiate changes to the amendment.   

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

The maximum amount of the agreement is $695,520 during the term of the agreement. The funding has been included in the MHSA FY 2016-17 Adopted Budget (BU 404). This agreement is funded entirely through a continuous appropriation of MHSA funds from the State. There is no impact to the General Fund with approval of the recommendations.