Title
a. Approve and authorize the Director of the Department of Social Services to sign an agreement with Seneca Family of Agencies for $183,210 to support the Resource Family Approval program throughout Monterey County for the period from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018; and
b. 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% ($18,321) 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 Seneca Family of Agencies for $183,210 to support the Resource Family Approval program throughout Monterey County for the period from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018; and
b. 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% ($18,321) of the original contract amount, and do not significantly change the scope of work.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
This Agreement with Seneca Family of Agencies is to provide the Department of Social Services, Family and Children’s Services, with assistance in supporting the Resource Family Approval (RFA) program throughout Monterey County.
RFA was authorized through Senate Bill 1013 (Chapter 35, Statutes of 2012) and requires the California 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 was required for all counties on January 1, 2017. Monterey County was selected as an early implementation county and began implementation on March 1, 2016.
Seneca Family of Agencies is a full-service agency providing assessment, training and support to Resource Families and continues to provide services focused on retention efforts to ensure children remain 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 Social Services Federal and State 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 expanding capacity for timely completion of Resource Family Approvals in partnership with Seneca Family of Agencies.
Check the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives:
__Economic Development
__Administration
X_Health & Human Services
__Infrastructure
__Public Safety
Prepared by: Karen DeCarli, MA II, x8596
Approved by: Elliott Robinson, Director of Social Services, x4430
Attachments: Seneca (RFA) Agreement
Proposed agreement is on file with Clerk of the Board as an attachment to this Board Report