Sponsor: Social Services
Title
title
Social Services Department Annual Authority for Procurement Requests
end
Recommendation
recommendation
Authorize the County Manager, subject to review by the County Attorney’s Office and Finance to do the following:
1. Enter into the following expenditure agreements without solicitation through December 31, 2025, and execute future amendments to the agreements in accordance with the county’s procurement policies and procedures, provided the amounts are within the budget for the services listed below:
A. Contracts in which the county currently provides services and receives payments from external sources, such as health plans, the Courts, other counties, and other parties, including payments for services already provided.
B. Lead or host county contracts held by other counties in accordance with Minnesota Statute 256.0112.
C. Community support programs, culturally specific African American community support programs and culturally specific American Indian / Indigenous community support programs.
D. Providers authorized by community collaboratives established in Minnesota Statute 124D.23 for which Ramsey County has fiscal agent responsibilities.
E. Providers of psychiatric, psychosexual, and psychological services; to conduct evaluations, consultations, therapy and treatment, as long as funds are available, the need exceeds the supply of providers, and the providers are registered or licensed.
F. Providers when the Minnesota Department of Human Services has issued the solicitation for an existing service in the county and selected the contractor or when the Minnesota Department of Human Services has approved the contractor through a certification process.
G. Providers of foster care emergency shelter, foster care and emergency shelter administrative management services, corporate foster care, community residential care program, respite care, and emergency shelter; as long as funds are available, the need exceeds the supply of providers, and the providers are registered or licensed.
H. Providers of adult day services, individualized home support services, prevocational services, day support services, employment services, and semi independent living skills services, when that service has been selected by the consumer, or his or her guardian, in accordance with Minnesota Statute 256B.49.
I. Providers of out-of-state residential treatment for children, as long as funds are available, no in- state treatment provider can be identified that meets the needs of the children to be placed, the selected provider is licensed by a state authority and accredited by the Joint Commission, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, or the Council on Accreditation.
J. Medical directors for Social Services detoxification services, the Mental Health Center, and for Social Services in county correctional programs, as long as funds are available, the need exceeds the supply of providers, and the providers are licensed.
K. Providers of intensive residential treatment services when the Minnesota Department of Human Services has approved the contractor through a certification process.
L. Providers of accreditation training services for mental health professionals in accordance with Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic requirements.
M. Culturally specific emergency shelter and foster care, culturally specific group residential providers, culturally specific liaisons to prevent education neglect and child protection involvement, culturally specific services for American Indian families involved in child protection, culturally specific services to prevent out of home placement, culturally specific guardianship and culturally specific parent mentoring by peers.
2. Approve actions deemed necessary for the orderly administration of expenditure agreements through December 31, 2025
A. Acceptance of supplementary awards or rate adjustments the county may receive from funding sources other than county levy; and execute amendments with funders and contractors.
B. Approve letters of need determination, including any new Rule 31 Outpatient Treatment Agreements, subject to any exclusions in Resolution 93-457.
3. Authorize the County Manager to enter into expenditure grant agreements and execute amendments to agreements in a form approved by Finance and the County Attorney’s Office provided the amounts of funding are within the limits of the department’s approved budget.
end
Background and Rationale
body
The Social Services Department aspires to provide Ramsey County residents the highest quality of services available in Minnesota. It is the largest county department and provides critical service supports including child welfare, child protection, licensing, foster care connections, pre-petition screening for civil commitment, adult protection, mental health services, detoxification, mental health case management, prevention, and chemical dependency services. The department also provides programs to support the elderly and people with disabilities to live in the community as independently as possible. It is the local authority for mental health services and adult protection. The department is responsible in helping individuals, families, and communities in Ramsey County survive and thrive.
This request for board action includes requests intended to improve and streamline the procurement processes with a centered focus on equity in the delivery of services to individuals. One example includes directly entering into agreements for services with providers where the need far exceeds the supply, as in the case of psychiatric, psychosexual and psychological services. Other examples include using contracts already established through other counties or utilizing a contractor selection process that is certified by the state of Minnesota.
Ramsey County board approval will continue to be requested for changes in practices, policies, new grant applications or actions affecting complement, revenues or appropriations relating to county levy, while maintaining an open, competitive solicitation process committed to racial equity. This effort increases transparency in how the department collaboratively engages the community during the solicitation and contracting process to meet the needs of racially and culturally diverse individuals, families, and communities.
end
County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☒ Prosperity ☒ Opportunity ☐ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
Residents from communities of color and low-income communities are disproportionately involved with the social services systems. The Social Services Department is dedicated to support community-wide shared goals to strengthen individual, family and community health, safety and well-being through effective safety-net services, innovative programming, prevention and early intervention, and environmental stewardship while centering equity in the process. The department is committed to working with its race equity planners and incorporating community voice when developing all solicitations, evaluation processes and awarding contracts resulting from solicitations. Examples include involving community members in identifying needed services, evaluating proposals and communicating the availability of contracted services to isolated communities.
Community Participation Level and Impact
Community members from affected communities will be involved in identifying needed services and in the selection of contracted providers in an advisory role. This helps ensure the department obtains qualified providers to deliver culturally specific services identified and valued by community members that reflect best or promising practices with an equity impact and are reflective of the people the department serves. Some contracted services, such as community support services, will be provided by community members with lived experience to improve and enhance service delivery.
☒ Inform ☒ Consult ☒ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
Funding for these services is included in the 2025 Social Services operating budget.
Last Previous Action
On December 19, 2023, the Ramsey County Board approved the Social Services Department’s annual authority for procurement requests (Resolution B2023-256).
Attachments
None