To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS: Social Services
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Agreement with Redwood Community Action Agency (RCAA) for the AmeriCorps Child Welfare Services (CWS) Improvement Activities Program
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve, and authorize the Chair of the Board to execute, the agreement with Redwood Community Action Agency (RCAA) for the AmeriCorps Child Welfare Services (CWS) Improvement AmeriCorps Program effective Oct. 1, 2018 for fiscal years 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21 in an amount not to exceed $315,833.00 per one-year term;
2. Approve, and authorize the Director of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), or a designee thereof, to exercise the first and second options to extend the agreement for additional one-year terms from Oct. 1, 2019 through Sept. 30, 2020 and Oct. 1, 2020 through Sept. 30, 2021; and
3. Direct the Clerk of the Board to route the fully executed agreement to the DHHS-Contract Unit for further processing.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Social Services Fund
DISCUSSION:
For more than 10 years, AmeriCorps members have served in local Family Resource Centers to assist with connecting families to community resources. DHHS-Child Welfare Services contracts with Redwood Community Action Agency (RCAA) that in turn contracts with Prevent Child Abuse California (PCA CA), a statewide consortium of Child Abuse Prevention Councils that facilitates the employment of AmeriCorps members and provides cash match amounts for AmeriCorps salaries.
RCAA will provide the following services:
1. Administer a contract with PCA CA for 10 AmeriCorps members.
2. Recruitment, selection, enrollment and retention of AmeriCorps members.
3. Ongoing site and member support.
4. Regular meetings to support members in professional development, regional collaboration and the planning and implementing of service activities.
5. Support to host site agencies regarding member monitoring.
6. Collect required data on behalf of the DHHS-Child Welfare Services for payment and administrative record. Data must be delivered on a quarterly basis.
In March 2005, the Board of Supervisors approved the original agreement with RCAA. Funds from that contract allowed DHHS to recruit AmeriCorps members to positions with local Family Resource Centers and with the DHHS-Child Welfare Family Services (CWS). Since the inception of the program, AmeriCorps workers have assisted in connecting families to community resources and through their conscientious efforts have made a difference for children and families throughout Humboldt County.
The annual program cost for the AmeriCorps program in Humboldt County will be $315,833.00. The term of this new AmeriCorps Program agreement with RCAA is scheduled to run from Oct. 1, 2018 through Sept. 30, 2019 with two one-year options to extend.
In the current proposed agreement, the budget structure discussed under Exhibit B to the agreement includes RCAA’s costs to administer the AmeriCorps program, as well as the straight cash match for the salaries of 10 AmeriCorps members.
Therefore, DHHS recommends that the Board approves the agreement with RCAA, authorizes the Chair to sign the agreement and directs the Clerk of the Board to route the fully executed agreement to the DHHS-Contracts Unit.
After reviewing a request for a significant budget increase from RCAA CWS, DHHS Fiscal and DHHS Contracts Unit worked with RCAA to find an appropriate and fiscally responsible budget compromise. This took a significant amount of time. Although this contract is now late to the Board, a budget compromise has been reached.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The total costs associated for the agreement with Redwood Community Action Agency (RCAA) for the period of Oct. 1, 2018 through Sept. 20, 2019 is $315,833. The term of this agreement is based on the federal fiscal year. This agreement was included in the county approved budget for fiscal year 2018-19 in fund 1160, budget unit 508 - Child Welfare Services (CWS), line item 3112 New AmeriCorps in the amount of $236,875. The remaining $78,958 will be included in the proposed budget for fiscal year 2019-20. There is no impact to the County General Fund.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports your Board’s Strategic Framework by protecting vulnerable populations and providing community-appropriate levels of service.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Prevent Child Abuse California and Redwood Community Action Agency
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board can choose not to approve the agreement with Redwood Community Action Agency (RCAA) but it is not recommended as this would lead to larger impacts on DHHS staff and resources.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Professional Services Agreement with RCAA for the Administration of the AmeriCorps Program
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: C-22; C-18; C-14; C-11; D-8; C-13; C-11; C-14; C-6; C-9; and C-14
Meeting of: 12/14/2004; 7/11/2006; 5/15/2007; 10/9/2007; 6/9/2009; 4/27/2010; 1/4/2011; 12/13/2011; 10/23/2012; 10/15/2013; 9/23/2015; and 10/6/15
File No.: 19-405