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Budget committee continues vote on Westside mental‑health contract after DPH details program changes
Summary
The Budget & Finance Committee reviewed a DPH request to amend and extend a contract with Westside Community Mental Health Center — increasing total authorized funding to $23.3 million while reducing capacity in an intensive case management program from 139 to 80 clients to align staffing and deliverables; the committee continued the item for one week for further review.
The Budget and Finance Committee on Feb. 2019 continued consideration of a Department of Public Health request to amend and extend an agreement with Westside Community Mental Health Center that would raise the overall not‑to‑exceed amount to $23.3 million and extend the term through Dec. 31, 2022.
DPH business office director Michelle Ruggles told the committee there is a clerical error in the short title that the department has already corrected. She described four distinct programs under the contract — two outpatient/crisis programs that “met standards” and, in the most recent audited year, “exceeded standards,” an intensive case‑management program (ACT) and a children and adolescent outpatient program that will not continue in the out years of the contract.
Ruggles said the intensive case‑management program failed at times to meet deliverables because the provider could not retain sufficient staff. To preserve continuity of care for current clients, DPH recommended reducing that program’s caseload from 139 to 80 slots and lowering the funded rate for that component so the provider can staff to capacity. Ruggles said the change also reduces the contract value for that program by about $639,000 and that DPH plans to put that component out to bid in the future.
Supervisors pressed DPH on how proposals were scored, why some programs did not submit bids, and whether client outcomes are part of scoring. DPH and the Budget Analyst Office said solicitation minimum qualifications screen applicants and that client outcomes — including hospitalizations and incarcerations — are part of the program evaluation. Supervisor Stephanie asked that the Budget and Legislative Analyst provide further detail on the audit finding that Westside “has not consistently met their budgeted level of deliverables.”
Because of remaining questions about scoring, deliverables and the budget analyst’s findings, the committee voted to continue the matter to the next Budget & Finance meeting so supervisors and staff can review supplemental materials and follow up with the BLA.
