Title
a. Approve and Authorize the Contracts/Purchasing Officer or Contracts/Purchasing Supervisor to sign a Standard Agreement with minor modifications, with Karen Lansing, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress (BCETS) for counseling and consulting services and incident debriefs for employees of the Sheriff’s Office for a not to exceed amount of $372,000 covering the time period of July 1, 2016 to February 19, 2019; and
b. Accept minor modifications to the Standard Contract as proposed by the Contractor and as recommended by the Sheriff/Coroner; and
Authorize the Contracts/Purchasing Officer or Contracts/Purchasing Supervisor to sign up to three (3) amendments to the agreement where the amendment does not significantly change the scope of the work and the amendments in aggregate do not exceed ten percent (10%) of the contract value ($37,200) for a total not to exceed contract amount of $409,200.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Approve and Authorize the Contracts/Purchasing Officer or Contracts/Purchasing Supervisor to sign a Standard Agreement with minor modifications, with Karen Lansing, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress (BCETS) for counseling and consulting services and incident debriefs for employees of the Sheriff’s Office for a not to exceed amount of $372,000 covering the time period of July 1, 2016 to February 19, 2019; and
b. Accept minor modifications to the Standard Contract as proposed by the Contractor and as recommended by the Sheriff/Coroner; and
c. Authorize the Contracts/Purchasing Officer or Contracts/Purchasing Supervisor to sign up to three (3) amendments to the agreement where the amendment does not significantly change the scope of the work and the amendments in aggregate do not exceed ten percent (10%) of the contract value ($37,200) for a total not to exceed contract amount of $409,200.
DISCUSSION:
Karen Lansing was brought in to the Monterey County Sheriff/Coroner’s Office (MCSO) as a provider in September 2014 in response to an officer involved incident. She was under contract to MCSO in FY 2014-15 with her primary scope of work consisting of treatment/rehabilitation of sworn personnel for Duty Induced Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), training personnel in preparation for, and prevention of psychological and physical challenges encountered in duty situations, and conducting debriefs and counseling after major incidents and Officer Involved Shootings.
Ms. Lansing’s highly specialized training in identifying and treating Duty Induced PTSD, and knowledge of law enforcement operations/tactics have been globally recognized, and she has worked with law enforcement and military operations in Northern Ireland, with the Army’s 1st Armored Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Her skill sets and methods are exceptionally successful in treating Duty Induced PTSD, with a high improvement rate. MCSO has ready access to her simply because she resides in Santa Cruz County. This contract is based on a sole source justification due to Ms. Lansing’s unique qualifications and skill set.
In the past 18 months 2 deputies filed claims involving work related stress, with the shortest time period of absence being 360 days. Based on figures provided by Monterey County Risk Management, the average incurred value over the lifetime of a claim is $124,003. MCSO also incurs $167,104 in backfill costs per position because the positions were mandatory fill positions, and were filled by usage of other deputies and investigators. So the total cost per each year for one Full Time Equivalent (FTE) being out on stress leave adds up to $291,107 per FTE per year.
MCSO cannot quickly hire new employees. It takes approximately 18 to 24 months to process a recruit through the hiring sequence, complete the Basic Police Academy, and complete the Field Training and Jail Operations Training programs. A recruit/trainee will not be capable of being assigned solo to a position until all steps are successfully completed. This makes usage of overtime during workers comp/leave situations necessary in most cases. Many different staffing models have been tried to reduce overtime, the latest was implemented in early October, 2015. However, any time a mandatory fill position is unfilled due to any type of leave, overtime will occur.
MCSO has already seen significant positive benefits from Ms. Lansing’s efforts. In FY 2014-15, Ms. Lansing treated nine (9) deputies. All persons in Ms. Lansing’s care that were working full duty at the start of treatment have remained working at full duty status with no Workers’ Compensation claims filed. This creates an estimated potential Department and County savings of approximately $2,619,963 for reduced indemnification claims, disability payments, and backfill position overtime (9 x $291,107). Most (not all) sworn employees are able to be treated to completion within 40 billable hours or less, or at a cost of $5,000 or less. Continuing treatment to conclusion is paramount to achieve full recovery and assure the best chance that treated employees will remain at work and productive.
Other benefits have arisen from these treatments which are more intrinsic in nature. Valuable, trained, experienced deputies were retained, none took early retirement, and fewer deputies were assigned mandatory overtime. Contrary to common perception, mandatory overtime is not popular with deputies because it disrupts planned events in their lives and can create workplace dissatisfaction within the MCSO.
MCSO is proposing a thirty-two month contract to provide approximately 20 service hours per week to our employees for a not to exceed cost of $372,000. Monterey County Risk Management has committed to funding 50% of the monies utilized for the first year of the contract (FY 2016-17), but has not committed to out years funding. MCSO has added a non-standard termination language to Exhibit A of agreement that allows either party to terminate by giving 30 days written notice, in case of this sole proprietor becoming incapacitated or unable to provide services. Minor contract languages were made to page 2 and page 6 of the County Standard agreement at the request of the contractor, and were made due to contractor’s sole proprietor status and inability to provide backfill with other employees if she becomes incapacitated and unable to fulfill contract terms. These contract changes are supported by the MCSO and we request that the Board of Supervisors approve the modifications, due to the valuable and unique service this contractor provides.
A copy of the final agreement is on file with the Clerk to the Board.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The County Administrative Office and Risk Management have reviewed the report. Risk Management recognizes value in the services provided by Ms. Lansing as cost effective care and prevention for Duty Induced PTSD, and supports retaining her services as a cost saving measure to reduce indemnification claims and retain personnel at full duty status. This contract has been supported by the Board of Supervisors Budget Committee in October 2015.
The Monterey County Deputy Sheriff’s Association sees tremendous value in the services provided by Karen Lansing and advocates for her service retention to continue providing support and treatment for Sheriff’s Office employees.
FINANCING:
Risk Management has agreed to fund half of the cost of the contract in FY 2016-17 and the rest is included in the Sheriff’s Office baseline FY 2016-17 Budget. The Sheriff’s Office will fund the project with the Sheriff’s asset forfeiture fund if it experiences appropriations and revenue shortfall later in the year. The estimated FY 2016-17 beginning balance of the asset forfeiture fund, 020-2778 and 020-2779, is $300,000 and the Sheriff’s Office will request increases to appropriations and revenue at a later time, if needed.
Prepared by: Nina Ryan, Management Analyst II, X3708
Approved by: Stephen Bernal, Sheriff, X3750
Attachment:
Copy of Agreement with Karen Lansing, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress (BCETS)