REPORT TO SHASTA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

BOARD MEETING DATE:  February  28, 2017
CATEGORY:  Consent - Health and Human Services-20.

SUBJECT:

Second Amendment to Agreement with Catholic Charities CYO of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, dba St. Vincent’s School for Boys.

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 an amendment, effective the date of signing, to the agreement with Catholic Charities CYO of the Archdiocese of San Francisco d.b.a. St. Vincent’s School for Boys increasing maximum compensation for Fiscal Year 2016-17 from $150,000 to $300,000, for a new maximum compensation not to exceed $500,000 during the entire term of the agreement to allow current youth to receive additional mental health services while in placement through June 30, 2017.

SUMMARY

The proposed amendment will allow St. Vincent’s 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 are three youth placed in St. Vincent’s facility whose needs require a higher level of treatment. This facility offers a variety of mental health treatment services in coordination with residential program services for Shasta County youth who are Medi-Cal beneficiaries and meet medical necessity for specialty mental health services.

Youth that are placed in out-of-home care by the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), the Juvenile Probation Department, or voluntarily placed by their parents through the Adoption Assistance Program, become eligible for Medi-Cal.  Medically necessary mental health services for Medi-Cal eligible children are considered an entitlement.  Through Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT), HHSA is responsible for determining medical necessity, authorizing, and paying for these services as part of its Managed Care Plan responsibility for specialty mental health services.

The services provided by St. Vincent’s include mental health services designed to reduce serious behaviors and symptoms resulting from a mental illness that can require acute psychiatric hospitalization and/or a highly structured and supervised placement. The goal of placement in these facilities is to improve the youth’s functioning such that the youth can move to a lower level of care when appropriate.  Progress in treatment for each individual is evaluated through quarterly reports on the frequency of behaviors that result in the need for group home level of care as well as tracking of progress towards treatment goals. 

ALTERNATIVES

The Board could choose not to approve this amendment or to approve it with reduced funding. 

OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT

County Counsel has approved the amendment as to form.  Risk Management reviewed the original agreement and there have been no changes to insurance or indemnification. The recommendation has been reviewed by the County Administrative Office.

FINANCING

The maximum compensation for this agreement is $500,000. These costs are included in the FY 2016-17 Mental Health Adjusted Budget (BU 410).  The agreement is fee-for-service and costs will only be incurred when a Shasta County youth is receiving mental health services from St. Vincent’s that has been authorized by Shasta County HHSA.  This agreement is funded with federal Medicaid funds (approximately 50 percent) and a County match which is met through a combination of 1991 and 2011 realignment revenue.  Residential costs, which are not included in these agreements, are supported through the Social Services foster care payment system.  There is no additional County General Fund impact with the approval of the recommendation.