1. Approve the Professional Services Contract with Terros, Inc. dba Terros Health (Terros Health) for Mobile Alternative Response Team Services for three years with the ability to renew up to two successive one year terms in the amount of $2,583,300.  The table below outlines the cost per year.

 

Expense Line Item	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 4	Year 5	Total
Personnel:	$274,100	$289,800	$298,500	$307,500	$316,700	$1,486,600
Fringe Benefits:	$67,200	$69,200	$71,200	$73,400	$75,600	$356,600
Travel:	$7,300	$7,500	$7,700	$8,000	$8,300	$38,700
Equipment:	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0
Supplies:	$7,000	$6,600	$6,700	$6,600	$6,700	$33,600
Contracts:	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0
Construction:	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0
Other:	$144,800	$145,300	$149,900	$155,300	$158,000	$753,300
Year #1 - Program Startup - Billing Credit (Months 1-5)	$(85,500)	$0	$0	$0	$0	$(85,500)
Total:	$414,900	$518,400	$534,000	$550,800	$565,200	$2,583,300

City Council requested a future agenda item about Police Operations.  One of the three presentations provided by Police Chief Musselman was about Alternate Response Models.  The City Council was in support of the concept, so City Staff worked with internal and external partners to create a Request for Proposal (RFP) solicitation for a Public Safety Alternate Response Model, to include alternate care center services and a mobile response unit. The RFPs were evaluated and the evaluation committee recommended the mobile response unit services contract be awarded to Terros Health.  The evaluation committee did not recommend the award of an alternate care center services contract, but suggested City staff continue working with internal and external partners and the community to refine the needs of an alternate care center, then conduct another solicitation process.    

Terros Health is a health care company specializing in crisis services, mental health and substance abuse treatment.  Terros Health is currently the organization offering Terros Flagstaff Crisis Service for Coconino County.  Terros Health is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities and is in good standing with the State of Arizona.  Terros Health will provide the management and the oversight for the behavioral health professionals who will partner with the City's Firefighter/Emergency Medical Technician to staff the mobile response unit.  The oversight for the mobile response unit will be provided by the Terros Health Director of Northern Arizona Crisis Services and Senior Director of Crisis Services.  The clinical guidance and consultation and management of the unit will be provided by the Clinical Manager. 

There will be one behavioral health professional and one Firefighter/Emergency Medical Technician who will work together on the mobile response unit to provide the community with crisis intervention and mental health stabilization services.  The mobile response unit will provide proactive outreach to the community and also respond to public safety calls, such as, public intoxication, substance use, trauma informed, and mental or behavioral health related events. Calls for service will be dispatched through the Flagstaff Police Department Communication 9-1-1 Dispatch Center.  The mobile response unit will run for ten hours a day starting at 10:00 am and ending at 8:00 pm when implemented.  City staff and Terros Health will continually evaluate the response data to determine if this is sufficient coverage to address community needs.

The mobile response unit will be conducting proactive outreach and responding to calls in a van. The van will provide enough space for specialized equipment for basic life safety response, in addition to comfort items such as water and snacks, emergency clothing, toiletries, blankets and cultural items like abalone shells, sage and cedar and the ability to transport individuals as needed.

Terros Health will provide ongoing reporting of data collected about outreach conducted and calls for service. Terros Health and City staff have worked together to create three measures to evaluate the effectiveness of the mobile response unit: 1) reduction of crisis recidivism and crisis calls for Flagstaff Fire Department and Flagstaff Police Department; 2) reduction in the number of arrests, bookings, and prosecutions for alcohol use related offenses including public intoxication, trespassing, public urination and public menacing; and 3) reduction in the number of individuals transported to emergency department for intoxication and detox issues. During the first three months of operation a baseline will be created and a metric to determine the appropriate level of reduction for these three measures.  

City Council asked during a recent presentation how community policing efforts would be impacted by implementing a mobile response unit. City staff will be presenting information to define community policing and describe Flagstaff Police Department efforts to demonstrate the differences between the two community services.

The FY2021-2022 budget includes appropriation for the three Firefighter/Emergency Medical Technicians ($232,798), behavioral health personnel and management oversight ($776,000), purchase of a vehicle ($65,000) and specialized equipment ($40,000).

Priority Based Budget Key Community Priorities and Objectives
Safe & Healthy Community: Foster a safe, secure and healthy community, enhance community engagement and community policing efforts, develop alternative diversion programs,

Regional Plan
Goal PF.3 Provide high-quality emergency response and public safety services including law enforcement, fire, medical, and ambulance transport service.

No.

1. Approve the Professional Services Contract with Terros Health for mobile response unit services;
2. Recommend changes to the Professional Services Contract with Terros Health for mobile response unit service; or
3. Do not proceed with a Professional Services Contract for mobile response unit services.

On February 26, 2021, Purchasing posted a Request for Proposals for a Public Safety Alternate Response Model on the PlanetBids website and advertised the RFP in the Arizona Daily Sun and Arizona Republic on March 7 and 14, 2021; and the Navajo Times on March 11 and 18, 2021. On March 8, 2021 Purchasing held a Pre-Proposal Meeting for fielding questions and discussing the scope that there may be with potential proposers and the public. 

On March 26, 2021, Purchasing received four (4) proposals in PlanetBids which were opened electronically. A six-member Selection Committee consisting of four (4) City staff from the Alternate Response Team and two (2) outside community members, one who is also serving on the Alternate Response Team, reviewed and evaluated the proposals. Interviews of all four candidates took place on May 12 and 14, 2021.  Additionally, the proposals of all four candidates were evaluated by the Selection Committee.

Based upon the numerical scoring of the proposals and interviews, as well as information received during the interviews and follow-up questions, the Selection Committee determined to only move forward with the mobile response unit portion of the solicitation and to postpone the care center portion of the RFP for a future solicitation once the scope of the care center is more clearly defined. Three candidates were remaining for the mobile response unit portion. The Selection Committee determined that Terros Health was the most qualified based on the scoring. During the summer of 2021, Terros Health and City staff negotiated and discussed final contract scoping and budget for the mobile response unit.

Total scores for each proposal and interview are as followed (* = Mobile Response Unit responders):
*Terros: 1440
*The Guidance Center: 1390
  NACA: 1255
*WestCare AZ: 1145

The majority of the Professional Service Contract expenses are for staffing payroll, benefits, and related supplies and expenses.  The personnel related costs are calculated based on a ten-hour shift seven days a week with merit and cost of living increases included. The supplies and expenses include office supplies, medical supplies/PPE, uniforms, printing of business cards and educational pamphlets, comfort items for customers, shared office space, insurance costs, cell phones and Chromebooks, hiring and training costs, vehicle lease, and Terros Health support staff costs. 

The first year of the response mobile unit Professional Services Contract includes a reduced rate for the first four months following approval of the contract until the mobile response unit becomes fully operational. Terros Health is proposing 20% for month one, to include the creation of the behavioral health professional positions, hiring, onboarding and training; 40% for month two to continue this work with additional staff members; 60% for month three to continue hiring and training of new staff, building partnerships with local stakeholders and begin establishing joint protocols; and 75% for month four to build upon efforts started.

The mobile response unit will benefit the community by providing proactive outreach prior to a crisis or complaint call being made to the Flagstaff Police Department Communication 9-1-1 Dispatch Center.  By including a behavioral health professional on the mobile response unit, there will be a higher level of service for those in need in the Flagstaff community.

There were community members included on the Alternate Response Team who created the RFP to solicit services for the alternate care center and mobile response unit. The City of Flagstaff held a Town Hall on February 2, 2021, to obtain feedback from community stakeholders who are currently providing services within Flagstaff to finalize the RFP for the alternate care center service and mobile response unit.  The Selection Committee reviewing the proposals also included a member from the Indigenous Commission and a local service provider.