Agenda Item AGENDA STAFF REPORT ASR Control 25-000485
MEETING DATE:	04/14/26
legal entity taking action:	Board of Supervisors
board of supervisors district(s):	3
SUBMITTING Agency/Department:	Social Services Agency (Approved)
Department contact person(s):	An Tran (714) 541-7708
	James Cho (714) 541-7711

Subject: Contract for Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program Tustin Family Campus

ceo CONCUR

County Counsel Review

Clerk of the Board

Concur

Approved Agreement to Form

Discussion

3 Votes Board Majority

Budgeted: N/A

Current Year Cost: N/A

Annual Cost: FY 2026-27 $2,400,151
FY 2027-28 $2,496,157
FY 2028-29 $2,596,003

Staffing Impact:

# of Positions:

Sole Source: No

Current Fiscal Year Revenue: N/A

Funding Source: See Financial Impact Section	County Audit in last 3 years: No
Levine Act Review Completed: Yes

Prior Board Action: 5/21/2024 #43, 5/25/2021 #72, 5/8/2018 #47, 5/9/2017 #45

RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):

Authorize the County Procurement Officer or Deputized designee to execute Contract with Rite of Passage Adolescent Treatment Centers and Schools, Inc., for Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program services at Tustin Family Campus, effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029, in an amount not to exceed $7,492,311, renewable for one additional two-year term.

Authorize the County Procurement Officer or Deputized designee to accept Claims-Made Sexual Misconduct Liability Insurance in lieu of Per Occurrence Sexual Misconduct Liability Insurance for Rite of Passage Adolescent Treatment Centers and Schools, Inc. if unable to obtain Per Occurrence Sexual Misconduct Liability Insurance.

SUMMARY:

Approval of the proposed Contract will continue the provision of Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program services for foster youth in the child welfare system at the Tustin Family Campus.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The Social Services Agency (SSA) provides child abuse prevention and intervention services to establish safety, permanency and wellbeing for children and families in Orange County. To support these efforts, SSA has developed the Tustin Family Campus (TFC), which serves as a community-based, multi-treatment collaborative resource for children, youth, young adults and their families.

A Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP) home is a licensed placement option that can provide age and developmentally appropriate services to Juvenile Court dependent Foster Youth and Non-Minor Dependents (NMD), youth ages 18 to 21, whose needs cannot be safely met in a home-based setting. The STRTP at TFC provides an integrated, short-term, trauma-informed program of specialized and intensive treatment, including 24-hour care and supervision to Foster Youth/NMDs until placement in a home-based setting is appropriate. The STRTP at TFC comprises two separate homes that accommodate a maximum of six Foster Youth/NMD placements in each home, for a maximum of 12 Foster Youth/NMDs.

The Board of Supervisors (Board) previously approved the following Agreements for STRTP services at TFC:

Board Date	Agreement/ Amendment	Term	Maximum Obligation	Board Action
May 9, 2017	Amendment	7/1/2015 – 6/30/2018	$1,286,640	Approved final Amendment
May 8, 2018	Agreement	7/1/2018 – 6/30/2021	$5,399,136	Approved Agreement
May 25, 2021	Agreement	7/1/2021 – 6/30/2024	$6,525,504	Approved Agreement
May 21, 2024	Amendment One	7/1/2024 – 6/30/2026	$4,670,388	Approved Amendment One

Request for Proposal (RFP)

On October 15, 2025, SSA released an RFP via the County’s online bidding system to solicit proposals from interested parties to provide STRTP services at TFC. The RFP stated the Foster Youth/NMDs to be served may have a history of adverse childhood events, significant behavioral and mental health needs, multiple failed placements, limited social and emotional coping skills and minimal motivation to plan for a successful transition to adulthood. Respondents were required to demonstrate expertise in child abuse prevention/intervention and possess a current/valid permanent or provisional license issued by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD). Due to the stringent licensing requirements set by CCLD, and a limited number of licensed providers in California, a lower number of RFP response submissions were anticipated.

Proposal Evaluation and Scoring

SSA received two proposals by the deadline of November 15, 2025. Proposals were received from Beloved Ones and Rite of Passages Adolescent Centers and Schools, Inc. (ROP). Both proposals received were deemed responsive prior to the commencement of the evaluation committee. Each proposal was reviewed, evaluated and rated by a five-member evaluation committee composed of members from SSA, Health Care Agency and the Orange County Department of Education.

Evaluation committee members independently rated the proposal using the following criteria and possible maximum points:

Evaluation Criteria	Maximum Points
Organization Experience	200 points
Services to be Provided	500 points
Staffing Plan	200 points
Respondent Interview	100 points
Total Maximum Points	1,000 points

Once the respondent interviews were concluded, the evaluation committee conferred and the combined total scores, after removing the high-low scores, for the respondents were as follows:

Respondent	Combined Score
Beloved Ones	2,371 points
ROP	2,779 points

Based on the proposal and interview scores, the evaluation committee recommended awarding the contract to ROP. ROP has over 40 years of relevant experience in establishing and sustaining residential programs for youth with significant emotional, behavioral and mental health needs, and has provided group home residential services since 2011, and STRTP services at TFC since 2018. ROP also has established partnerships with community-based organizations in Orange County, utilizes a wide range of evidence-based practices, is a certified Medi-Cal provider and has an existing workforce with qualified staff in place to fulfill all program roles, responsibilities and service requirements.

A Notice of Intent to Award letter was posted to the County’s online bidding system on February 19, 2026. No protests were received to the Notice of Intent to Award.

An analysis was completed to verify the Contract provides County with persons specially trained, experienced, expert and competent to perform the special services in accordance with the law.

Outcomes

ROP provides a critical placement resource for Foster Youth/NMDs with significant behavioral and mental health challenges and operates with the goal of transitioning SSA referred Foster Youth/NMDs into a lower level of care, as per California’s Child Welfare Continuum of Care Reform.

From July 1, 2021, to December 31, 2025, ROP provided STRTP at TFC services to 88 unduplicated Foster Youth/NMDs. Seventy-six Foster Youth/NMDs exited the STRTP during this service period, with 12 still in placement at the end of this service period. The following tables indicate the number of Foster Youth/NMDs who exited STRTP at TFC, the specific level of care and placement types during this service period.

	Age Group
Next Placement	14-15		16-17		18+		Total
	Count	Percent	Count	Percent	Count	Percent	Count	Percent
Higher Level Placement	11	52.4%	14	43.8%	10	43.5%	35	46.1%
Lateral Level Placement*	4	19.0%	9	28.1%	8	34.8%	21	27.6%
Lower Level Placement	6	28.6%	9	28.1%	5	21.7%	20	26.3%
Total	21	100.0%	32	100.0%	23	100.0%	76	100.0%

*Lateral Level of Care: Placement to a different STRTP/Group Home, Orange Children and Family Center (OCFC) or Transitional Housing when it is determined that these alternatives may better suit the needs of a Foster Youth/NMD.

Several outcome measurements have been incorporated to strengthen tracking of Contractor performance compared to the previous contract term. These outcome measurements are indicated in the table below. The outcome objectives are designed to measure the participation, individual needs and connection to family members or other important persons of the Foster Youth/NMD while in STRTP placement.

Outcome Objectives

A minimum of 80 percent of Foster Youth/NMDs shall attend monthly Child and Family Team meetings until transition into permanent or long-term care settings or as directed by County

A minimum of 90 percent of Foster Youth/NMDs shall have a customized Individual Needs and Services Plan Developed within 30 days of intake into the STRTP

A minimum of 70 percent of Foster Youth/NMDs who reside in this care setting for longer than one month shall establish and/or maintain a connection with a family member, natural support person or individual who is important to the Foster Youth/NMD and who is committed to being a lifelong support for the Foster Youth/NMD, or will establish a connection with a mentor or other community member who is committed to being a monthly support person.

SSA monitors the STRTP at TFC for compliance with CDSS/CCLD regulations, which includes an annual site visit to assess the safety of the home and grounds, review personnel reports and youth files. The monthly placement rate is determined by the state, including an annual California Necessities Index increase, which impacts the maximum obligation based on occupancy at full capacity per month.

SSA now requests Board’s approval of the Contract with ROP for the STRTP services at TFC, in an amount not to exceed $7,492,311, for the term of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029, renewable for one additional two-year term. The Orange County Small Business Preference Policy was not applicable because STRTP services are Federal Title IV-E eligible. The Disabled Veterans Business Enterprise Preference policy was applicable and incorporated into this solicitation. No DVBE qualified proposals were submitted.

The appropriate due diligence has been conducted and the non-profit has been verified to be in good standing.

Non-Standard Insurance Provisions

The Contract requires Per Occurrence Sexual Misconduct Liability (SML) Insurance. Effective January 1, 2024, new state law eliminated the existing time limit for the statute of limitations on childhood sexual assault. Under the new law, a civil claim for a child sexual abuse event that occurs after January 1, 2024, can be brought at any time. Due to the significant potential liability the new law poses, many insurance providers are either unwilling to issue Per Occurrence SML or will not issue Per Occurrence policies at an affordable premium. Per Occurrence SML does not have a timeline limitation when a claim is filed and coverage applies, if the policy was active at the time of the incident. With Claims-Made SML, there is a specific, limited period when a claim filed would be covered. If ROP is unable to find an insurance carrier to provide Per Occurrence SML due to the type of services provided, ROP will carry Claims-Made SML Insurance and will be required to maintain this insurance throughout the term of the Contract in lieu of Per Occurrence SML Insurance. Risk Management cannot approve Claims-Made SML and the ability to carry Claims-Made SML in lieu of Per Occurrence SML is before the Board for approval due to the critical importance of the services. See Attachment C for Risk Assessment Form.

Subcontractors

This Contract does not currently include subcontractors or pass through to other providers. See Attachment D for Contract Summary Form.

Real Estate License

The Contractor will provide services at the County’s TFC located at 15405 Lansdowne Road, Tustin, CA under a License Agreement with the County. A License Agreement, which will be executed under delegated authority by County Executive Office Real Estate Services, will commence on July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029, to align with the term of the Contract. ROP is required to pay a monthly license fee of $5,424.46 for each of the two homes ($1.18 per square foot, modified gross) for a total of $10,848.92 per month. This License Agreement also includes language allowing the rent to be adjusted based on occupancy rates for the program. ROP will pay for its own telephone, cable, internet and janitorial services and maintain the standard insurance required by the County. The annual projected revenue is $130,187.04 based on occupancy at full capacity per month. Additional terms and conditions of the License Agreement are included in Attachment E.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

Appropriations for this Contract will be included in Budget Control 063, Social Services Agency FY 2026-27 Budget and will be included in the budgeting process for future years.

This Contract is funded with 22 percent federal Title IV-E, 58 percent state 1991 and 2011 Realignment and 20 percent County General Funds. County General Funds will be used as the required match to access federal and state funding.

Contingency of Funds

The Contract includes provisions that the Contract is contingent upon the availability of funds and inclusion of sufficient funds in the budget approved by the Board for each fiscal year the Contract remains in effect or operation. In the event such funding is terminated or reduced, the County may terminate the Contract, reduce the County’s maximum obligation or modify the Contract, without penalty.

STAFFING IMPACT:

N/A

ATTACHMENT(S):

Attachment A – Contract MA-063-26010267 with Rite of Passage Adolescent Treatment Center and Schools, Inc.
Attachment B – Combined and Summarized Scoring Sheet
Attachment C – Risk Assessment Form
Attachment D – Contract Summary Form
Attachment E – License Summary