To: Board of Supervisors
From: Sheriff
Agenda Section: Consent
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
SUBJECT:
title
Contract Amendment between County of Humboldt and California Forensic Medical Group (CFMG) to Provide Mental Health Services to the Incarcerated Population in the Humboldt County Correctional Facility (HCCF), Supplemental Budgets, and Appropriation Transfer (4/5 Vote Required)
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve the Third Amendment to Professional Services Agreement (Attachment 1) adding mental health services in the Humboldt County Correctional Facility between the County of Humboldt and California Forensic Medical Group (CFMG) and authorize the Sheriff, or designee to sign the amendment; and
2. Approve a supplemental budget (Attachment 2) reducing County Mental Health’s general fund contribution for jail mental health services in budget 1170-424 (4/5 Vote Required); and
3. Approve an appropriation transfer (Attachment 3) for general fund contribution from Contributions to Other Funds budget 1100-199 to the Jail Medical Care budget 1100-490 and an appropriation transfer of Community Corrections contribution from County Mental Health budget 1170-424 to the Jail Medical Care budget 1100-490 (4/5 Vote Required); and
4. Approve a supplemental budget (Attachment 4) for Jail Medical Care 1100-490 for Mental Health Services funded by Community Corrections (4/5 Vote Required).
Body
STRATEGIC PLAN:
This action supports the following areas of your Board’s Strategic Plan.
Area of Focus: Safe & Healthy Communities
Strategic Plan Category: 1002- Remove barriers to quality healthcare
DISCUSSION:
The HCCF currently houses approximately 340-350 incarcerated persons, over 50% of whom suffer from some level of mental illness and are on psychiatric medications. These individuals are often the most acute, disorganized patients who are not on a viable treatment plan when they arrive and require extensive work to get them stable. Additionally, the HCCF processes multiple book-and-releases each day involving those who require mental health intervention. Historically, mental health services have been provided by the county’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), however, clinical staffing has suffered largely due to the inability for the county to compete with the private sector salaries. DHHS has been actively recruiting for vacant positions on an ongoing basis, in some cases for over two years, with little to no interest. This has led to a drop in staffing levels to a point that is no longer sustainable. Despite DHHS’s efforts to incentivize these positions, recruitments still prove unsuccessful, leading to this request to contract out to a private provider, similar to the current model for the provision of medical services.
Given the urgency of this situation, staff request the Board approve adding these services to the existing CFMG contract (which expires in June 2027), in lieu of putting these services out to bid at this time. Having a private company doing this work will require cohesion to maintain continuity of care as individuals transition in and out of custody, requiring continued partnership with DHHS in these efforts. Having separate medical and behavioral health contracts with different vendors would make that even more difficult, especially considering each entity has their own records keeping system. If the Board approves, staff will likely look to put the combined medical and mental health contract out to bid prior to the end of the current contract.
With CalAIM on the horizon as well, having the mental health team well-staffed in the facility will aid those efforts greatly, as additional discharge planning will be required to meet that mandate.
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
1100199 General Fund Contributions to Mental Health
1100490 Community Corrections
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
|
Expenditures |
FY25-26 |
FY26-27 Projected* |
|
Budgeted Expenses in 1100,490 |
$0 |
$1,477,287 |
|
Budgeted Expenses in 1170,424 being transferred to 1100,490 |
$221,894 |
$0 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
$ 24,322 |
$0 |
|
Total Expenditures |
$246,216 |
$1,477,287 |
*Projected amounts are estimates and are subject to change.
|
Funding Sources |
FY25-26 |
FY26-27 Projected* |
|
General Fund (1100,199) |
$58,651 |
$351,906 |
|
Use of Fund Balance (Community Corrections 3741) |
$187,565 |
$1,125,381 |
|
Total Funding Sources |
$246,216 |
$1,477,287 |
*Projected amounts are estimates and are subject to change.
Narrative Explanation of Financial Impact:
There are no changes to the rates for the Medical Services or the Medication Assisted Treatment program. The amendment adds Mental Health Services effective May 1, 2026 at the rate of $123,107.25 per month for the 14 months of the remaining term of the Professional Services Agreement. For Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 the 2-month additional cost is $246,216. The general fund will cover $58,651 which is already allocated for mental health services. Community Corrections will cover $163,243 which is already allocated for mental health services and has agreed to cover the additional $24,322 for a total of $187,565. For FY 2025-26 the general fund will cover $351,906 and Community Corrections will cover the balance of $1,125,381.
STAFFING IMPACT:
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impact:
The positions allocated to County Mental Health for Jail Medical Services are being deallocated and contracted out to CFMG. In accordance with AB339, statutory written notice was provided by County Human Resources to the affected bargaining unit on Feb. 4, 2026.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board may elect not to approve the contract amendment; however this is not recommended. The county has a legal requirement to provide mental health services to the incarcerated population and it is unlikely that the County will be able to do so if this contract amendment, supplemental budgets, and appropriation transfer are not approved.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Amendment between County of Humboldt and California Forensic Medical Group.
2. County Mental Health Decrease Supplemental Budget
3. County Mental Health Appropriations Transfer
4. Jail Medical Care Supplemental Budget
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Meeting of: April 12, 2022
File No.: 22-292