Title
a. Approve and authorize the Director of the Department of Social Services to sign an agreement with Community Human Services for $223,500 to support the Family-to-Family Initiative throughout Monterey County for the period July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018; and
b. Approve and authorize the Director of the Department of Social Services to sign up to three (3) amendments to this Agreement where the total amendments do not exceed 10% ($22,350) of the original contract amount, and do not significantly change the scope of work.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Approve and authorize the Director of the Department of Social Services to sign an agreement with Community Human Services for $223,500 to support the Family-to-Family Initiative throughout Monterey County for the period July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018; and
b. Approve and authorize the Director of the Department of Social Services to sign up to three (3) amendments to this Agreement where the total amendments do not exceed 10% ($22,350) of the original contract amount, and do not significantly change the scope of work.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
This Agreement with Community Human Services (CHS) is to provide the Department of Social Services, Family and Children’s Services with assistance in supporting ongoing efforts with Family-to-Family (F2F) throughout Monterey County.
The F2F Initiative is a long-standing, nationwide child welfare and foster care reform initiative that provides Principals, Goals, Strategies, and Tools to help states and local child welfare agencies achieve better outcomes for children and families through the expansion of family and community involvement in child protection. The four core strategies of F2F are recruitment, development, and support of Resource Families, building community partnerships, team decision-making meetings, and self-evaluation.
F2F community effort is integral to the evolution of Resource Family Approval (RFA) in establishing a foster care network that is more neighborhood-based, culturally sensitive, and located primarily in the communities in which the children live.
RFA was authorized through Senate Bill 1013 (Chapter 35, Statutes of 2012) and requires the State Department of Social Services, in consultation with the county welfare agencies, foster parent associations, and other interested community parties, to implement a unified, family friendly and child-centered resource family approval process. RFA upgrades and unifies approval standards for all caregivers by replacing and streamlining the existing multiple processes for licensed foster family homes, approving relative and non-relative extended family members as foster care providers, and approving adoptive homes. RFA prepares families to better meet the needs of vulnerable children in the foster care system and allows seamless transition to permanency. RFA implementation is required for all counties starting on January 1, 2017. Monterey County was selected as an early implementation county and began implementation on March 1, 2016.
CHS has worked to remove barriers and support the overall number of caregivers, and continues to provide services focused on retention efforts to ensure children can stay in Monterey County.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Auditor-Controller and Purchasing have reviewed and approved this Agreement. County Counsel has approved the Agreement as to form.
FINANCING:
This Agreement is funded by Realignment revenues. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues for SOC005 are included in the FY 2017-18 Recommended Budget. Approval of this action has no impact on the County General Fund.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
This agreement correlates to the Health & Human Services Strategic Initiative adopted by the Board of Supervisors by allowing the Department to improve the quality of life for foster children by increasing community awareness and involvement, expanding the Department’s ability to recruit Resource Parents and providing resources and supports to caregivers while maintaining compliance with RFA and the Continuum of Care Reform.
Check the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives:
__Economic Development
__Administration
X Health & Human Services
__Infrastructure
__Public Safety
Prepared by: Karen DeCarli, Management Analyst II, x8596
Approved by: Elliott Robinson, Director of Social Services, x4430
Attachments: Community Human Services Agreement 2017/18
Proposed agreement is on file with Clerk of the Board as an attachment to this Board Report