Board approves second on-call counseling contract for IMPD, funding restricted to general fund

The Board of Public Health and Safety approved on May 7 a pricing agreement with Jamie’s Family Counseling to supply counseling services to IMPD employees and officers, and amended the item on the floor to fund the contract from the department’s general operating fund.

Staff described this contract as similar in purpose to the pricing agreement approved earlier in the meeting: to increase capacity and variety among private clinicians who serve officers and employees. A department representative said the item “will establish the price structure with the vendor, similar to what we saw in the last action.”

Board members asked why the two vendors presented the same kinds of services with different pricing structures and pressed staff for procurement details and comparable price sheets. Staff explained that professional-service procurements often use informal negotiation and that providers set market rates; they also described a practice in which wellness-unit staff interview clinicians individually for quality control and select providers based on qualifications and capacity. The board emphasized that, for future contracts, staff should present apples-to-apples price comparisons and clearer procurement documentation.

A motion to restrict this contract to general operating funds was moved and seconded, and the amendment and the final motion to approve the item as amended passed with no opposed votes recorded on the record.

Board members and staff also discussed operational matters including whether services would remain available while procurement questions were resolved; staff said services remain available and that they are working on improving procurement transparency and inclusion of XBE vendors where possible.