Title
a. Approve and authorize the Director of Health or Assistant Director of Health to execute a new one-year Mental Health Services Agreement between the County of Monterey and Psynergy Programs, Inc. for the provision of mental health services for adults with severe psychiatric disabilities, for a maximum County obligation of $2,826,243 for the retroactive term of July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023; and
b. Approve and authorize the Director of Health or Assistant Director of Health to approve up to three (3) future amendments that do not exceed ten percent (10%) ($282,624) of the original Agreement amount and do not significantly alter the scope of services.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Approve and authorize the Director of Health or Assistant Director of Health to execute a new one-year Mental Health Services Agreement between the County of Monterey and Psynergy Programs, Inc. for the provision of mental health services for adults with severe psychiatric disabilities, for a maximum County obligation of $2,826,243 for the retroactive term of July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023; and
b. Approve and authorize the Director of Health or Assistant Director of Health to approve up to three (3) future amendments that do not exceed ten percent (10%) ($282,624) of the original Agreement amount and do not significantly alter the scope of services.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
Psynergy Programs, Inc. operates three (3) licensed residential care facilities that County Behavioral Health has used for many years: Cielo Vista, located in the City of Greenfield, which provides the maximum levels of care to assist clients who are at risk of being admitted to a facility requiring a higher level of care, Nueva Vista, located in the City of Morgan Hill, which provides intensive levels of care for clients recently discharged from locked skilled facilities, and Tres Vista also in Morgan Hill, which provides 24-hour adult independent housing and an outpatient clinic. In addition to these three long-standing facilities, two years ago Psynergy added two new facilities offering similar services in the Sacramento area, Nueva Vista Sacramento, and Vista de Robles, which we have since utilized for County clients, and a third facility, Vista Esperanza in North Highlands, California, will be available in December 2022 as a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE). Combined, these new facilities give the County access to much needed capacity for crucial mental health and residential care services. The Psynergy Programs, Inc. residential care facilities provide normalizing experiences and supervision necessary for clients with serious and persistent mental illnesses.
The County has maintained Agreement A-14876 with Psynergy Programs, Inc. which expired on June 30, 2022 after a two-year term. This new one-year Agreement continues the past relationship with Psynergy Programs, Inc. providing for a continuum of existing services. By carefully reallocating funds from less frequently used lower service levels of care, County Behavioral Health was able to expand our capacity for the most needed higher level of care beds, while increasing the total County obligation by only 1.5% over the last multi-year agreement, despite an average 15% increase from the vendor for most services since FY 2020-21.
The approval of this Agreement will provide the necessary resources and increase the options for clients to be placed in a facility that best suits their needs and to live in the least restrictive community setting as possible. This Agreement meets the requirements of the State Welfare and Institutions Code 5600 (Bronzan-McCorquodale Act), the California Code of Regulations Titles 9 and 22, and sustains the continuity of care services to seriously mentally ill clients of Monterey County.
This Agreement contains the County’s standard 30-day “no cause” provision (Section IV, B) and an additional defunding provision (Section IV, D), which provides the County the ability to amend or terminate the Agreement in the event of a reduction and/or termination of funding.
This agreement is late in being presented to your board and is retroactive to July 1, 2022 due to vendor delays in the submission of the required Exhibit H Revenue and Expenditure Summary, and in updated insurance being provided to the County as required by County Risk Management.
This work supports the following Monterey County Health Department 2018-2022 strategic plan goal: 3) Ensure access to culturally and linguistically appropriate, customer-friendly, quality health services. It also supports one of the ten essential public health services, specifically: 7) Link people to needed personal health services and assure the provisions of health care when otherwise unavailable.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The office of the County Counsel and Auditor-Controller have reviewed and approved this Agreement as to form and fiscal provisions, respectively.
FINANCING:
This Agreement is 100% funded by 1991 Realignment revenues. The funds for this Agreement ($2,826,243) are included in the Health Department’s Behavioral Health (HEA012, Unit 8410) Fiscal Year 2022-23 Adopted Budget.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
Mark a check to the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives
☐Economic Development:
• Through collaboration, strengthen economic development to ensure a diversified and healthy economy.
☐Administration:
• Promote an organization that practices efficient and effective resource management and is recognized for responsiveness, strong customer orientation, accountability and transparency.
☒Health & Human Services:
• Improve health and quality of life through County supported policies, programs, and services; promoting access to equitable opportunities for healthy choices and healthy environments in collaboration with communities.
☐Infrastructure:
• Plan and develop a sustainable, physical infrastructure that improves the quality of life for County residents and supports economic development results.
☐Public Safety:
• Create a safe environment for people to achieve their potential, leading businesses and communities to thrive and grow by reducing violent crimes as well as crimes in general.
Prepared By: Norm Morris, Management Analyst II, 796-1277
Approved by:
______________________________Date:_________
Elsa Mendoza Jimenez, Director of Health, 755-4526
Attachment:
Agreement