Agenda Item   

AGENDA STAFF REPORT

 

                                                                                                                        ASR Control  25-000684

 

MEETING DATE:

04/14/26

legal entity taking action:

Board of Supervisors

board of supervisors district(s):

All Districts

SUBMITTING Agency/Department:

Health Care Agency   (Approved)

Department contact person(s):

Veronica Kelley (714) 834-7024 

 

 

Ian Kemmer (714) 834-2160

 

 

Subject:  Renewal of Contracts for Children and Youth Outpatient Services

 

     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 $62,830,000
FY 2027-28 $62,830,000

 

 

 

    Staffing Impact:

No

# 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:         4/25/2023 #16

 

RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):

 

 

1.

Approve Amendment No. 2 to renew the contract with Child Guidance Center, Inc., for provision of Children and Youth Outpatient Services for the term of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028, for an amount not to exceed $31,800,000, for a revised total amount not to exceed $73,398,711.

 

2.

Approve Amendment No. 3 to renew the contract with Pathways Community Services LLC dba Clarvida for provision of Children and Youth Outpatient Services for the term of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028, for an amount not to exceed $22,750,000, for a revised total amount not to exceed $56,862,424.

 

3.

Approve Amendment No. 3 to renew the contract with Seneca Family of Agencies for provision of Children and Youth Outpatient Services for the term of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028, for an amount not to exceed $13,810,000, for a revised total amount not to exceed $34,815,247.

 

4.

Approve Amendment No. 2 to renew the contract with Western Youth Services for provision of Children and Youth Outpatient Services for the term of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028, for an amount not to exceed $57,300,000, for a revised total amount not to exceed $143,243,961.

 

5.

Authorize the County Procurement Officer or Deputized designee to execute the Amendments with Child Guidance Center, Inc., Pathways Community Services LLC dba Clarvida, Seneca Family of Agencies and Western Youth Services, as referenced in the Recommended Actions above.

 

 

 

 

SUMMARY:

 

Approval of the amendments to renew the contracts for provision of Children and Youth Outpatient Services will support children and youth with serious emotional and behavioral health needs through outpatient and community-based care.

 

 

 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

 

On April 25, 2023, your Honorable Board of Supervisors (Board) approved individual Contracts with Child Guidance Center, Inc. (CGC), Pathways Community Services LLC dba Clarvida (Clarvida), Seneca Family of Agencies (Seneca), and Western Youth Services (WYS) for the delivery of Children and Youth Outpatient Services (CYOS). Approval of the individual Amendments will provide for the continued delivery of Children and Youth Outpatient Services for the renewal term of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028. Prior to the contract expiration, the Health Care Agency (HCA) plans to conduct a solicitation to continue services.

 

These amendments ensure continuity of care and maintain access to medically necessary behavioral health services for children, youth, and families across Orange County (County). The Orange County Preference Policy is not applicable to these amendments. All related prior actions are included in the table below:

 

Board Date

Contract

Action

Term

Contract Amount

4/23/2023

Contracts

Board approved

contracts with CGC, Clarvida, Seneca, and WYS

July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2026

CGC- $41,598,711

Clarvida - $34,112,424

Seneca - $20,708,247

WYS - $85,943,961

 

N/A

CGC

Amendment No. 1

 

 

 

 

Deputy Purchasing

Agent (DPA)

Delegated Authority

Administrative Revisions to Exhibit A and the Contract

July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026

N/A

N/A

Clarvida

Amendment No. 1 and Amendment No. 2

DPA

Delegated Authority

Administrative Revisions to Exhibit A

July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025

N/A

N/A

Seneca Amendment No. 1 and Amendment No. 2

DPA Delegated

Authority Administrative Revisions to Exhibit A and the Contract

July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025

N/A

N/A

WYS Amendment No. 1

DPA Delegated

Authority

Administrative Revisions to Exhibit A and the Contract

July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026

N/A

 

Scope of Services

Providers deliver medically necessary behavioral health services to Medi-Cal eligible children and youth under 21 years of age who have significant emotional or behavioral health needs. Services are provided through a network of outpatient clinics and, when clinically appropriate, in home, school, and community settings throughout Orange County.

 

Services include individual, group, and family therapy; behavioral health assessment and evaluation; medication support; crisis intervention; case management; Therapeutic Behavioral Services; Intensive Care Coordination; and Intensive Home-Based Services. These services are designed to reduce symptoms, strengthen family functioning, and support youth in achieving stability and improved functioning.

 

CYOS is a core component of the County’s Medi-Cal Specialty Mental Health Services system for children and youth under 21 years of age. CYOS play a critical role in the County’s behavioral health continuum by providing early intervention, ongoing treatment, and coordination with other County and community systems by delivering services in accessible community-based settings. The program helps prevent unnecessary escalation to higher levels of care and supports youth and families in maintaining stability within their homes and communities. As the County Behavioral Health Plan, County of Orange is required under State and federal Medi-Cal requirements to ensure timely access to medically necessary behavioral health services for eligible children and youtH. Providers are required to follow Medi-Cal regulations and bill their services to Medi-Cal in addition to adhering to HCA standards for quality, cultural responsiveness, and family engagement.

 

Table 1: Service Regions/Cities

Region

Cities Served

Providers

North

Anaheim, Buena Park, Fullerton, La Habra, La Palma, Placentia, Yorba Linda

CGC, Clarvida, Seneca, WYS

Central

Costa Mesa, Irvine, Newport Beach

Clarvida (2 Locations)

East

Orange, Santa Ana, Tustin, Villa Park

CGC, Seneca, WYS (2 Locations)

West

Cypress, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Los Alamitos, Rossmoor, Seal Beach, Stanton, Westminster

Clarvida, WYS

South

Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano

CGC, Seneca, WYS

 

Performance Outcomes

CYOS providers use the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) assessment, a State-required tool that helps identify each youth’s clinical needs, treatment priorities, and strengths, particularly for those with complex needs or involvement in multiple systems of care. CANS data are used to monitor progress during treatment and to evaluate overall program effectiveness.

 

Over the past two Fiscal Years (FY), CANS results indicate that providers have consistently achieved positive outcomes across key clinical areas. A strong majority of youth receiving outpatient services maintained or improved emotional well-being and behavior regulation during treatment. Follow-up data also shows that nearly all youth demonstrated low suicide risk, reflecting the effectiveness of safety planning, crisis intervention, and ongoing clinical support.

 

In addition, providers appropriately identified youth experiencing early signs of psychosis and successfully referred them to specialized treatment programs when clinically indicated, supporting early intervention and improved long-term outcomes. These results demonstrated sustained clinical effectiveness across all contracted providers while serving youth with significant and increasingly complex behavioral health needs.

 

Table 2: Number of Unduplicated Clients Served

Provider

FY 2023-24

# of unduplicated clients served

FY 2024-25

# of unduplicated clients served

Western Youth Services

4255

4712

Child Guidance Center

2165

2433

Clarvida

1589

1524

Seneca

891

850

 

Table 3: Clinical Outcomes

% Youth Maintaining or Improving Clinical Outcomes During Treatment

Symptom Area

Target Range

 CGC

Clarvida

Seneca

 WYS

 

 

FY
 2023-24

FY
2024-25

FY
 2023-24

FY
 2024-25

FY
 2023-24

FY
 2024-25

FY
 2023-24

FY
 2024-25

Mood Symptoms

65-70%

84%

84%

79%

86%

72%

79%

67%

71%

Behavior Regulation

75-80%

84%

87%

91%

88%

84%

86%

81%

79%

Suicide Risk

90-95%

99%

97%

94%

97%

95%

96%

97%

95%

Psychosis

95-99%

99%

99%

97%

100%

100%

99%

99%

99%

 

HCA establishes performance targets based on historical and current CANS data trends across all outpatient providers. Performance targets were increased after recent evaluation of data trends to ensure they remain appropriate and clinically meaningful.

 

The contracts do not include subcontractors. See Attachment E for the Contract Summary Forms.

 

The Contractors’ performances have been confirmed as satisfactory. HCA has verified there are no concerns that must be addressed with respect to Contractors’ ownerships/names, litigation status or conflicts with County interests.

 

HCA requests the Board approve the amendments with CGC, Clarvida, Seneca and WYS for provision of Children and Youth Outpatient Services, as referenced in the Recommended Actions.

 

 

 

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

 

Appropriations for these Amendments will be included in Budget Control 042 FY 2026-27 and in the budgeting process for future years.

 

Funding Sources:

 

State: 13% (Mental Health Realignment and Behavioral Health Services Act)

Other: 87% (Federal Financial Participation Medi-Cal)

 

The Contracts include provisions allowing HCA to terminate the Contracts, reduce the level of services, and/or renegotiate the levels of services provided, as necessary. This includes a notice that allows HCA adequate time to transition or terminate services to clients, if necessary.

 

 

 

 

STAFFING IMPACT:

 

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.

 

 

 

ATTACHMENT(S):

 

Attachment A – Amendment No. 2 to MA-042-23010952 for Children and Youth Outpatient Services with Child Guidance Center, Inc.
Attachment B - Amendment No. 3 to Contract MA-042-23010955 for Children and Youth Outpatient Services with Pathways Community Services LLC dba Clarvida
Attachment C – Amendment No. 3 to Contract MA-042-23010956 for Children and Youth Outpatient Services with Seneca Family of Agencies
Attachment D – Amendment No. 2 to Contract MA-042-23010959 for Children and Youth Outpatient Services with Western Youth Services
Attachment E - Contract Summary Forms for Attachments A-D