To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Human Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Angela Struckmann, 707-565-5800; Cristin Tuider, 707-565-8504
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Human Services Department Contracts for Fiscal Years 2026-27 and 2027-28
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Authorize the Director of the Human Services Department, or designee, to execute 13 contracts to deliver services to the community for a total amount of $14,249,950.
B) Authorize the Director of the Human Services Department, or designee, to execute 3 contract amendments for a total amount of $320,000.
C) Authorize the Director of the Human Services Department, or designee, to amend the contracts included in this item to adjust for revenue changes that do not increase the amount of the contract by more than $150,000 from the original amount and do not significantly change the scopes of service subject to available funding and approval by County Counsel.
D) Authorize the Human Services Department to negotiate the contract provisions listed in Resolution 25-0266 in agreements for internal training and strategic planning with County Counsel review and approval.
E) Authorize an update to the Human Services Department Delegated Authority Letter, replacing staff names with staff titles.
F) Authorize the Director of the Human Services Department to accept revenue from state and federal sources that do not require a budget adjustment.
end
Executive Summary:
The Human Services Department (HSD) requests authority to execute contracts for services with community-based organizations as listed on Attachment A. Depending on the funding amount, HSD procures for client services every three to four years, either through a competitive Request for Proposal process or under the authority of the department director or purchasing agent, to provide a broad range of safety net services to the community. HSD is requesting approval to add training and strategic planning agreements to the list of those included in Resolution 25-0266. HSD is also requesting to update delegated authority for signing agreements and to authorize the Director to accept revenue from state or federal sources for the benefit of the department and the community that do not require budget adjustments.
Contracts are executed in the standard Counsel-approved template (Attachment E), include language that obligates the County only to the extent funding is available, and allow for amendments to reduce or terminate the contract in the event that any anticipated funding is reduced or eliminated. The 16 contracts total $14,569,950 with 39% being financed from state sales tax 2011 Realignment and 20% from federal programs.
Discussion:
Human Services Department Contracts and Amendments
The Human Services Department will execute a total of 16 contracts that require Board approval, including 13 agreements and 3 amendments, for a total of $14,569,950. Funding amounts were determined prior to the Governor’s revised budget in May. Once the state legislature passes the budget bill by June 15, 2026, HSD will determine if revisions need to be made.
All funding for contracted services is in support of state and federal mandates and is consistent with County and HSD objectives to protect vulnerable children and adults and to promote maximum independence and well-being for county residents. Contracts are executed in the standard Counsel-approved template (Attachment E), include language that obligates the County only to the extent funding is available, and allow for amendments to reduce or terminate the contract in the event that any anticipated funding is reduced or eliminated.
Each contract was procured using county and funder requirements in support of the County Safety Net Contracting Principles <https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/contracting-principles-letter-from-the-safety-netdepartments>by providing essential services in every community across the county and serving some of the county’s most vulnerable residents. Additionally, each scope of work describes the services to be delivered, required data collection, and funder-required outcome measures. The Results-Based Accountability (RBA) framework was applied for planning, reporting, and monitoring of performance measures in each service procured for Fiscal Year 2026-27. HSD is committed to providing services that lead to healthy and safe communities in support of the County’s strategic plan.
More funds may be allocated at any time from the state or federal government throughout the fiscal year, and HSD may need to reallocate funding due to over/under spending by contractors. Therefore, it is imperative that there is flexibility to modify contract funding to assure continuity of services. HSD requests authorization for the Director of Human Services, or designee, to amend the contracts listed in this item that do not significantly change the scope of services or increase the amount of the contract by more than $150,000 from the original contract amount.
A summary of the contracts requiring Board approval is listed in Attachment A; this list also indicates which contracts incorporate Results Based Accountability plans. The procurement method for each is listed in Attachment B. Attachment C organizes contract totals by provider, since a provider may have multiple contracts with HSD, and Attachment D includes a breakdown by specific funding source.
Contract Negotiations
On March 21, 1995, the Board passed Resolution 95-0328 (Attachment F) resolving that the Director of the Human Services Department is authorized to execute agreements for the purchase of “services for and care of health and welfare clients” within the limits otherwise established by the Board for the Purchasing Agent. On March 15, 2016, the Board passed Resolution 16-0102 (Attachment G), updating thresholds to those established for the Department Heads to $50,000 and no longer attached to the Purchasing Authority limits. On May 13, 2025, the Board passed Resolution 25-0266 (Attachment H) authorizing certain exceptions to standardized contracting terms limited to certain contracts, including “All purchases and agreements as authorized by Resolution 95-0328.” However, training and strategic planning agreements were not included. HSD staff require adequate internal training in order to provide services for and care of health and welfare clients. In addition, some of HSD’s funders require the development of strategic plans in order to ensure that services are provided in a strategic manner where the need is greatest. Given this, HSD is requesting the ability to negotiate contract language with County Counsel review and approval and after a good faith effort to fully negotiate an agreement cannot be obtained. The negotiated terms would include those as listed in Resolution 25-0266: “indemnification, liability, release, warranty, disclaimer, insurance, limitations on or exclusions of damages, prevailing party attorney fees and costs, dispute resolution, choice of law or venue, use or publicity of fact of County or agency usage, copyright, or any similar or related provisions.”
Delegated Authority
On June 6, 2023, your Board authorized the HSD director to delegate signature authority under certain circumstances, including in the director’s absence or in the event that emergency services need to be provided to clients being served by the Family, Youth & Children’s Division (BOS Item #2023-0522). The Delegated Authority Letter contained names of specific staff, one of which is no longer with the department. To eliminate the need to make continual updates as employees change, HSD is requesting authorization to update the letter by removing staff names and listing staff titles instead. The authority remains unchanged from when the Board previously approved.
Department Revenue
HSD receives funding throughout the fiscal year from state and federal resources. HSD requests the ability to execute for, and on behalf of, the County of Sonoma, any actions necessary for the purpose of obtaining state or federal financial assistance for the benefit of the department and the clients it serves. Timely receipt of funding ensures that there is no gap in providing services to the community.
Strategic Plan:
This item directly supports the County’s Five-year Strategic Plan and is aligned with the following pillar, goal, and objective.
Pillar: Healthy and Safe Communities
Goal: Goal 1: Expand integrated system of care to address gaps in services to the County’s most vulnerable.
Objective: Objective 2: Identify gaps in the Safety Net system of services and identify areas where departments can address those gaps directly and seek guidance from the Board when additional resources and/or policy direction is needed.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
The Board has annually approved funding and service contracts for the programs included in this item.
06-03-2025 - Approved $16,072,083 in funding for HSD contracts.
05-13-2025 - Authorized certain exceptions to standardized contracting term as to certain contracts.
06-04-2024 - Approved $13,526,635 in funding for HSD contracts.
03-21-1995 - Approved exemptions of purchasing procedures for services for and care of health and welfare clients.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
|
$12,634,618 |
$1,935,332 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$0 |
$12,634,618 |
$1,935,332 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Funding Sources |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
$250,000 |
|
|
State/Federal |
|
$11,544,973 |
$1,935,332 |
|
Fees/Other |
|
$839,645 |
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$0 |
$12,634,618 |
$1,935,332 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
The Human Services Department Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 Recommended Budget includes funding for the requested contracts totaling $12,634,618. An additional $1,935,332 will be included in the FY 2027-28 budget, for an overall total of $14,569,950 across the two fiscal years. See Attachment A for full details including a breakdown of funding by fiscal year. The funding sources used to finance these contracts are summarized in Attachment D.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None.
Attachments:
A - Human Services Department Contracts
B - Human Services Department Procurement Method by Contract
C - Human Services Department Contracts by Contractor
D - Human Services Department Contracts by Funding Source
E - Human Services Department Contract Template
F - Resolution Number 95-0328
G - Resolution Number 16-0102
H - Resolution Number 25-0266
I - Delegated Authority Letter
1 through 16 - Service Provider Contracts/Amendments
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
Not applicable.