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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Professional Services Agreement with The Counseling Team International (TCTI).
1. Motion Authorizing the City Manager, or his designee, to execute a Professional Services Agreement with The Counseling Team International (TCTI), for a term of one year to provide professional counseling services to the Glendale Police and Fire Departments for a total not-to-exceed amount of $130,000, with the City’s option to renew the agreement for three additional one-year terms at a not-to-exceed amount of $136,000 (Year 2) and $139,000 (Year 3/Year 4.)
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Consent Calendar
Approved for July 9, 2024 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In 2019, the City of Glendale’s Police and Fire Departments entered into a Professional Services Agreement with The Counseling Team International (TCTI) (previously known as Nancy K. Bohl, Inc.) for psychological and mental health consulting and treatment, the development of a Peer Support Team, and psychological testing services for Conceal Carry Weapons (CCW) applications. As both Police and Fire have been pleased with the services provided by TCTI, the departments are respectfully requesting to continue utilizing them for professional psychological services and enter into a one- year agreement with the option to renew three additional years to retain their services. 2{{section.number}}g
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RECOMMENDATION
That the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute a Professional Services Agreement with TCTI for a term of one year with the option to renew the agreement for 3 additional one-year terms.
ANALYSIS
The Glendale Police Department is comprised of 248 sworn employees and approximately 102 professional staff. The Glendale Fire Department is comprised of 162 sworn and 103 professional staff. Both GPD and GFD have traditionally provided support services to their employees and have utilized contracted providers to meet the need for essential psychological and mental health consulting and treatment.
First responders experience high levels of physical and mental stress on a regular basis.
Repeated exposure to traumatic incidents impact emergency personnel in a variety of ways. In 2023 there were a total of 138 law enforcement line-of-duty deaths, and 80 firefighter line-of-duty deaths in the United States. It is estimated that three times that number die by suicide annually. As a result, a renewed focus on mental health and well- being has taken hold across the nation to reduce those numbers.
The City Council has long recognized that need, supporting various employee assistance programs for decades. In 2019 the Police and Fire Departments issued a Request for Proposals (RFP), and based upon the results, Council authorized a Professional Services Agreement with TCTI for psychological and mental health consulting and treatment, inclusive of pre-employment screenings, confidential counseling, hostage negotiations and critical incident debriefings.
Over the term of the agreement the Professional Services Agreement with TCTI was amended to expand the scope of work to include the creation of the Police and Fire Departments’ Peer Support Team and Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW) screening services for applicants.
The one-year agreement with three options to renew totals a not to exceed amount of $544,000. Of each annual amount, $59,400 is a flat rate that covers unlimited access for GPD and GFD employees, as well as their qualified dependents, to confidential counseling, supervisor assistance with workplace issues, and follow up sessions for critical incidents. The annual fee also includes employee orientation on the services offered as well as materials related to said services (brochures, flyers, etc.) The remaining funding is for other services, such as Critical Incident Intervention Stand- by-Status, 24-hour Suicide Prevention and Crisis Support, Hostage Negotiation Assistance for Police Personnel, and a variety of training classes. TCTI’s rate for the above is $250 per hour (port-to-port) and $200 per hour for training. In addition, both GPD and GFD will continue to utilize TCTI for pre-employment psychological screening of dispatchers, firefighters, police officers, and custody officers. TCTI currently charges $325 per applicant for non-sworn personnel, and $350 per applicant for sworn personnel. 3{{section.number}}g
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TCTI will also continue to provide training for the Joint Peer Support Team as well as provide psychological testing for CCW applicants who are required by law to undergo as psychological testing as part of the application process.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT
The Professional Services Agreement with The Counseling Team International will cost up to $544,000, with the first-year cost of $130,000, which was approved as a part of the FY 2024-25 budget. No new appropriation is being requested at this time. The City Council approved funding is outlined below:
Existing Appropriation
Amount Account String Funding Source
$94,600 43110-1010-GPD-7002-P6501 General Fund
$30,000 43110-1010-GFD-4000-P0000 General Fund
$ 5,400 43110-5800-GFD-4005-P0000 Fire Communication Fund
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(a) as it has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonable foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
See Exhibit A
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Alternative 1: The City Council may deny the request of the Police and Fire Departments to continue utilizing TCTI for professional psychological services and enter into a one- year agreement with options to renew, in which case psychological services will not be provided for the departments for counseling, pre-employment background screenings, training for the Peer Support Team, and psychological exams for Conceal Carry Weapons applications.
Alternative 2: The City Council may consider any other alternative not proposed by staff.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Manny Cid, Police Chief
Greg Fish, Fire Chief
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Prepared by:
Jason Ross, Police Lieutenant
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
Exhibit A – Campaign Disclosure