Title
a. Approve and authorize the Director of the Department of Social Services to sign an Agreement with Binti, Inc. for $28,000 to provide licenses, training, and support for resource family approval software effective upon execution for a term of 12-months; and
b. Approve and authorize the Director of the Department of Social Services to sign up to three (3) amendments to the agreement where the total amendments do not exceed 10% ($2,800) 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 Binti, Inc. for $28,000 to provide licenses, training, and support for resource family approval software effective upon execution for a term of 12-months; and
b. Approve and authorize the Director of the Department of Social Services to sign up to three (3) amendments to the agreement where the total amendments do not exceed 10% ($2,800) of the original contract amount, and do not significantly change the scope of work.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
This Agreement with Binti, Inc. is to provide the Department of Social Services (DSS), Family and Children’s Service Branch with the software and support services for supporting and tracking 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 processes for licensing 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.
Binti, Inc. is a mission-driven technology company committed to supporting better outcomes for children and families by developing software for foster care and adoption agencies. The Binti software is designed to assist and support child welfare professionals in doing their jobs more effectively and efficiently, as well as enhancing recruitment efforts by creating accessibility for potential caregivers in the community. Binti’s software has a custom-built platform for California Counties that includes daily data feeds allowing instant access to data to inform day to day practices, conduct quality assurance, and monitor services.
Currently, child welfare programs in 23 California counties have contracted with Binti to provide services and supports to their RFA programs. The ease and accessibility of the Binti software has shown increased productivity in meeting the timelines required by Senate Bill 1013. San Francisco County, the pilot County for the Binti software, estimates that the software has reduced RFA staff time needed for each resource family approval by 20-40%. This software system has been customized to work with the California’s Child Welfare Case Management System and will allow the County to comply with State requirements for accessing Federal funding.
DSS recommends your Board approve the nonstandard liability provisions contained in this software agreement. While the terms are not standard to the County, they are standard to the software industry and will allow DSS to join 23 other California counties in using the Binti software platform for resource family approvals.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Auditor-Controller and Purchasing have reviewed and approved this Agreement. Risk Management has reviewed but cannot approve the nonstandard liability provisions. County Counsel has approved the agreement as to form.
FINANCING:
Funding for this agreement is provided by federal and state funds through the RFA allocation. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues in SOC005 are included in the FY 2017-18 Adopted Budget.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
This Agreement correlates to the Health & Human Services Strategic Initiative adopted by the Board of Supervisors by allowing DSS to improve the quality of life for foster children by expanding capacity for timely completion of resource family approvals.
Mark a check to the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives
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Prepared by: Karen DeCarli, MAII, x8596
Approved by: Elliott Robinson, Director, x4430
Attachments: Binti, Inc. Agreement
Proposed agreement is filed with Clerk of the Board as an attachment to this Board Report