Authorize the Chair to execute a replacement agreement with CommuniCare Health Centers to provide K-12 School Partnership services to the Yolo County Office of Education (YCOE) in compliance with the new California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiative in an amount not-to-exceed $189,000 for the period of July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024. (No general fund impact) (Sullivan)

On or about May 26, 2021, Yolo County issued a competitive solicitation (details in the Competitive Bid Process section, below) to solicit a provider for K-12 School Partnership Services for the Woodland Joint Unified School District catchment area, which included the Yolo County Office of Education (YCOE). The Yolo County K-12 School Partnership Program works to expand the historically more limited array of services and supports available to students and to integrate mental health services into the school systems by utilizing an integrated systems model and multi-tiered systems of support. The goal of this integrated approach is to blend resources, training, systems, data, and practices to improve outcomes for all children and youth. The program also emphasizes, prevention, early identification, and intervention of the social, emotional, and behavior needs of students, as well as supports outcomes around preventing the development of mental health challenges in children of all ages, improved linkages to mental health services for children and their families, improved mental health wellness, school engagement, and personal, social, and community stability. The primary goal is to ensure that all school-age youth in Yolo County can access mental health services in a safe, comfortable environment that is familiar to them through an improved school-based service delivery system.
The resulting agreement was awarded to CommuniCare Health Centers and on November 15, 2021, the County and CommuniCare Health Centers entered into Agreement No. 21-262, which provided an initial term of November 15, 2021 through June 30, 2024, with two optional extensions for FY’s 2024-25 ($625,036.53) and 2025-26 ($625,036.53).

California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) Initiative
In January 2022, California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) rolled out the CalAIM initiative that aims to provide broad delivery system program and payment reform across the Medi-Cal system. The goal is transformation of the Medi-Cal delivery system, moving it towards a population health approach that prioritizes prevention and whole person care. Focus shifts from compliance to quality and performance metrics. Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS) requirements and policies pursuant to the CalAIM initiative were updated, and as a result of these updates, the County is required to revise the terms and conditions in the provider agreements for these services.  In preparation for this system wide change, the County has been working closely with CalMHSA who has been providing the County and other SMHS Medi-Cal counties with technical assistance around the CalAIM initiative. The County has received new boilerplate templates from CalMHSA for both DMC/SUD treatment services and SMHS Medi-Cal services that include updated programmatic regulatory requirements and updated billing/claiming requirements. County is working on finalizing a new Yolo County SMHS Medi-Cal boilerplate that is in compliance with these changes, a draft of which is attached hereto as Att. A. Draft Yolo County SMHS boilerplate.

The replacement agreement requested in this staff report will be drafted and executed on the finalized Yolo County SMHS boilerplate. County Counsel and the Procurement Division are participating in the review and finalization of the Yolo County SMHS boilerplate. However, due to the timeliness in which the County has been receiving information from DHCS, especially regarding rates, final boilerplate language is still pending.  Approval of this request herein will enable HHSA to expedite processing and approval of the replacement agreement once we have all of the information from DHCS and have negotiated final rates with our providers.

While the term of Agreement No. 21-262 currently goes through June 30, 2024 and provides two optional extensions for FY’s 2024-25 ($625,036.53) and 2025-26 ($625,036.53), due to the significant regulatory and claiming changes driven by the CalAIM initiative, Agreement No. 21-262 must be terminated and replaced. HHSA now requests BOS approval of a one-year replacement agreement with CommuniCare Health Centers for the provision of K-12 School Partnership services to YCOE in an amount not to exceed $189,000 for the period of July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024, and delegated signing authority to the Yolo County Board Chair to assist with expediting execution of the replacement agreement. Based on guidance from County Counsel and the Procurement Division optional extensions for FY’s 2024-25 ($501,301.48) and 2025-26 ($501,301.48) will not be included in this replacement agreement. County Counsel and the Procurement Division are working on updating the County long form contract boilerplate that will be forthcoming sometime in FY 2023-24. County Counsel and the Procurement Division request any extensions beyond June 30, 2024 are drafted on the updated County long form contract boilerplate.

Performance Measures
Performance measures were included in Agreement No. 21-262 See Att. B. Performance Measures. These performance measures or similar performance measures will also be included in the replacement agreement.

County Counsel - review and approval of the Yolo County SMHS boilerplate
County Counsel - review and approval of the resulting replacement agreement as to form
Department of General Services, Procurement Division
CalMHSA - technical assistance with CalAIM Initiative

On May 26, 2021, the County issued a competitive solicitation via a request for proposals (RFP) from qualified community-based organizations to provide K-12 School Partnership Services for the Woodland Joint Unified School District catchment area, including the YCOE. The RFP was open for 44 days, just over 6 weeks, and staff offered potential bidders an opportunity to ask questions during a Mandatory Bidders’ Conference on June 4, 2021. HHSA received 2 proposals for the Woodland Joint Unified School District from this solicitation.

The proposal submitted by CommuniCare Health Centers was selected as one of the top choices by all members of the Review Committee and was evaluated and determined to meet all the required qualifications necessary to successfully provide these services. 

Additional information regarding the Competitive Bid Process is provided below, including a summary of the RFP evaluation criteria.

Evaluation Criteria Included in RFP
· Program and Project Approach (55%)
· Administration and Staffing (15%)
· Program/Project Budget and Cost Proposal (5%)
· Reporting Capabilities (5%)
· Compliance Plan Approach (5%)