To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS: Administration
Agenda Section: Consent
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
title
Professional Services Agreement with Humboldt Area Foundation Regarding the Provision of Consultation and Support Services that are Designed to Assist with the Development and Implementation of an Institutional Process for Advancing Racial Equity within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in an Amount Not to Exceed $173,985 for the Period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve, and authorize the Chair of the Board to execute, the attached professional services agreement with Humboldt Area Foundation regarding the provision of consultation and support services that are designed to assist with the development and implementation of an institutional process for advancing racial equity within the DHHS in an amount not to exceed $173,985 for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027; and
2. Authorize the DHHS Director, or a designee thereof, to execute any and all subsequent amendments to the attached professional services agreement with Humboldt Area Foundation, after review and approval by County Counsel, Risk Management and the County Administration Office; and
3. Direct the Clerk of the Board to return one fully executed electronic copy of the attached professional services agreement with Humboldt Area Foundation to the DHHS- Contract Unit for further processing.
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STRATEGIC PLAN:
The recommended actions support the following areas of the Board of Supervisors’ Strategic Plan:
Area of Focus: Workforce & Operational Excellence
Strategic Plan Category: 3001 - Support a well-trained workforce
DISCUSSION:
The Humboldt County DHHS has engaged in a variety of efforts to address racial and cultural inequities over the years. With the inception of the Racial Equity Steering Committee in 2020, and allocation of the Racial and Cultural Equity Manager position in 2022, DHHS has continued to advance efforts to address structural racism within the department. Guided by the Racial Equity Strategic Plan, DHHS staff have launched initiatives to broaden staff’s awareness and understanding of concepts related to privilege, unconscious and conscious bias, cultural humility and racial equity.
Such work fulfills equity-related requirements from several funding sources for DHHS programs. For example, the California Department of HealthCare Services requires counties to identify, analyze and report disparities in behavioral health services for unserved and underserved communities and to develop a plan with strategies to address these disparities. The California Department of Social Services, which funds both DHHS - Social Services and components of DHHS - Child Welfare Services, requires training and resources to be provided to staff that acknowledge and address the intentional shift to a trauma-informed, anti-racist, anti-stigma and implicit bias-aware culture and climate in the program, geared towards positive outcomes for child and family health and well-being. As a part of DHHS - Public Health’s Accreditation requirements, DHHS must consider diversity, equity or inclusion in recruitment and hiring efforts and staff competence in the areas of cultural humility, diversity or inclusion.
Since September 2020, Humboldt Area Foundation, by and through Stepping Stone Consulting, has provided training and coaching tailored to support the DHHS Racial Equity Steering Committee, the Racial and Cultural Equity Manager and DHHS leadership staff with core objectives found within the DHHS Racial Equity Strategic Plan. Activities include development and facilitation of department-wide trainings such as Implicit Bias - An Introduction, which was launched in July 2023 and Foundations of Racial Equity, which was launched in September 2023. These trainings offer DHHS staff with a stepped approach that advances material introduced in Exploring Racial Equity: Common Terms, developed by DHHS staff in 2021, and since adopted as a county-wide mandatory training. In 2024, the quarterly Racial Equity Leadership Institute and Branch Leadership Coaching Sessions were introduced. Both aim to build capacity among supervisory-level staff to lead activities addressing structural racism, refine hiring and retention practices and better support clients and staff. In 2025, plans include a train-the-trainer program to further develop internal capacity to sustain equity efforts into the future.
Outcomes of this work have been reflected in the department-wide Workforce Development Survey, with 90% of respondents reporting familiarity with core terms explored in trainings, and 60% of respondents indicating that equity trainings have impacted how they approach their job or interactions with clients, co-workers and/or the community. Additionally, 86% of supervisory and non-supervisory staff rated the usefulness of material and effectiveness of facilitation of the Foundations training as 4.1 and 4.4 of 5, respectively, with 5 being “extremely” useful and/or effective in post-training surveys.
The attached professional services agreement with Humboldt Area Foundation will allow Stepping Stone Consulting to continue providing consultation and support services that are designed to assist with the development and implementation of an Institutional process for advancing racial equity within DHHS for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. It should be noted that the attached professional services agreement with Humboldt Area Foundation comes to the Board after the start date thereof due to inadvertent delays that occurred during the contract development process.
Accordingly, DHHS recommends that the Board approve, and authorize the Chair of the Board to execute, the attached professional services agreement with Humboldt Area Foundation regarding the provision of consultation and support services that are designed to assist with the development and implementation of an institutional process for advancing racial equity within DHHS for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. It is also recommended that the Board authorize the DHHS Director, or a designee thereof, to execute any and all subsequent amendments to the attached professional services agreement with Humboldt Area Foundation, after review and approval by County Counsel, Risk Management and the County Administrative Office, in order to avoid any unnecessary delays in the provision of needed consultation and support services.
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Social Services Fund (1160-516)
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
|
Expenditures (1160-516) |
FY 26-27 Adopted |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$173,985 |
|
Total Expenditures |
$173,985 |
|
Funding Sources (1160-516) |
FY 26-27 Adopted |
|
Social Services Realignment |
$97,784 |
|
Behavioral Health Realignment |
$49,574 |
|
Public Health Realignment |
$26,627 |
|
Total Funding Sources |
$173,985 |
The attached professional services agreement with Humboldt Area Foundation has a maximum amount payable of $173,985 for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. However, in the event local, state or federal funding or allowance rates are reduced or eliminated, the County of Humboldt may reduce the above-referenced maximum amount payable or terminate the attached professional services agreement with Humboldt Area Foundation in its entirety.
Expenditure appropriations related to the attached professional services agreement with Humboldt Area Foundation have been included in the proposed fiscal year 2026-27 budget for DHHS - Administration budget unit 1160-516. The DHHS - Administration budget is supported through DHHS - Social Services, DHHS - Behavioral Health and DHHS - Public Health funding based on full-time equivalent position percentages. The portion of the costs associated with the attached professional services agreement with the Humboldt Area Foundation that will be charged to DHHS - Social Services is $97,784 which is available through federal and state realignment funding received by DHHS - Social Services. The portion of the costs associated with the attached professional services agreement with the Humboldt Area Foundation that will be charged to DHHS - Behavioral Health is $49,574. which will be covered primarily through state realignment and Behavioral Health Services Act funds received by DHHS - Behavioral Health. The portion of the costs associated with the attached professional services agreement with the Humboldt Area Foundation that will be charged to DHHS - Public Health is $26,627, which will be covered through state realignment funding received by DHHS - Public Health.
STAFFING IMPACT:
Approval of the attached professional services agreement with Humboldt Area Foundation will not impact current staffing levels.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board may choose not to approve the attached professional services agreement with Humboldt Area Foundation regarding the provision of consultation and support services that are designed to assist with the development and implementation of an institutional process for advancing racial equity within DHHS. However, this alternative is not recommended as it will not allow DHHS to follow through with their objectives around becoming an anti-racist organization and supporting a healthy and engaged workforce.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Professional Services Agreement with Humboldt Area Foundation
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Meeting of: 11/29/22, 7/8/25
File No.: 22-1483, 25-741