DATE: November 15, 2022
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Manager
SUBJECT: Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Amend an Agreement with Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center for Mobile Integrated Health Unit Services for Fiscal Year 2022-2023
RECOMMENDATION
That the Council adopts a resolution (Attachment II) authorizing the City Manager to amend the professional services agreement with Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center to increase the contract amount by $126,000 for a total amount not-to-exceed $200,000 for a mobile mental health clinician as part of the Mobile Integrated Health Unit.
SUMMARY
On May 18, 2021, Council received the recommendations of the Public Safety Policy Innovation Workshop, authorized a budget allocation to support the projects, and directed staff to begin implementing nine of the pilot projects in FY 2022. One of these projects is the Mobile Integrated Health Unit (MIHU), which pairs a community paramedic specially trained in mental health issues and nutrition with a behavioral health clinician to respond to calls for service related to mental illness, substance abuse, and homelessness, if the scene is secure.
The MIHU launched on a part-time basis on January 22, 2022. Staff identified a community paramedic, purchased vehicles and necessary supplies, and identified Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center (TVHC) as a community partner to provide the mobile behavioral health clinical services. Staff has been working with TVHC on finalizing the scope of services and staffing model for the MIHU. TVHC has recruited a licensed clinician to staff the MIHU pilot.
On July 1st, 2022, the City entered into an agreement with TVHC to provide clinical services for the MIHU and now City staff are seeking authorization to increase this agreement by $126,000 for a total not-to-exceed contract amount of $200,000. With the recommended increased contract amount, TVHC’s mobile behavioral health clinician will be able to provide 40 hours of work per week to support the MIHU.
BACKGROUND
Following the May 25, 2020 murder of George Floyd by an on-duty officer of the Minneapolis Police Department and subsequent national protests and conversations about race, police brutality, and public safety, a group of Hayward community members brought forth concerns about Hayward’s policing services, policies, and programs in light of three Hayward officer-involved shootings that occurred around the same time period. Directed by Council, the City began a year-long effort to elicit and address community concerns about public safety through an extensive community engagement process, referred to as the Public Safety Policy Innovation Workshop.
On May 18, 2021, Council received the recommendations of the Public Safety Policy Innovation Workshop, authorized a budget allocation to support the projects, and directed staff to begin implementing nine of the pilot projects in FY 2022. The associated May 18, 2021 staff report contains extensive background information on the Public Safety Policy Innovation Workshop projects.
One of the projects identified through this process is the MIHU, which pairs a community paramedic specially trained in mental health issues and nutrition with a behavioral health clinician to respond to calls for service related to mental illness, substance abuse, and homelessness, if the scene is secure.
The MIHU launched on a part-time basis on January 22, 2022 and began providing follow-up case management services for persons referred through the Police and Fire Departments. During the initial program launch, the MIHU focused on providing follow-up services after the initial service call was handled by Police and/or Fire. In September 2022, the MIHU began responding directly to calls for services in the community on a limited basis.
Staff has identified TVHC as a community partner for mobile behavioral health clinical services. Staff has been working with TVHC on finalizing the scope of services and staffing model for the MIHU. In February, TVHC began recruiting for a licensed clinician to staff the MIHU pilot. While TVHC was recruiting for this position, the City’s Behavioral Health Coordinator transferred 50% of her time (or approximately 20 hours per week) to begin responding to calls for service as a clinician with the MIHU. On October 25th, the TVHC Mobile Behavioral Health Clinician began working eight hours/week.
DISCUSSION
Agreement for Services with Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center TVHC has been identified as the City’s preferred community partner for mobile behavioral health clinical services. TVHC is a longstanding partner of the City’s and notably is the operator of the Firehouse Clinic located at Fire Station #7 in South Hayward. The Firehouse Clinic represents a unique collaboration between the Hayward Fire Department, TVHC, Acute Care Hospitals, and Alameda County Health Care Services Agency’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Division.
On July 1st, 2022, the City entered into an agreement with TVHC to provide clinical services for the MIHU and now City staff are seeking authorization to increase this agreement by $126,000 for a total not-to-exceed contract amount of $200,000 for FY 2022-23 services.
Staff recommends that Council adopts a resolution (Attachment II) authorizing the City Manager to amend the professional services agreement with TVHC to increase the contract amount by $126,000 for a total amount not-to-exceed $200,000 for a mobile mental health clinician as part of the Mobile Integrated Health Unit. With the recommended increased contract amount, TVHC’s mobile behavioral health clinician will be able to provide 40 hours of work per week to support the MIHU.
With the recommended increased contract amount, TVHC’s mobile behavioral health clinician will be able to provide 40 hours of work per week to support the MIHU.
MIHU Pilot Data and Increased Service Plan
The MIHU launched on a part-time basis on January 22, 2022 and began providing follow-up case management services for persons referred through the Police and Fire Departments. During the initial program launch, the MIHU focused on providing follow-up services after the initial service call was handled by Police and/or Fire. In September 2022, the MIHU began responding directly to calls for services in the community.
From January – July, the MIHU received 80 referrals for 59 unique individuals. The MIHU was able to connect with and provide 20 of the 59 individuals with case management services. Across these 59 referrals, Police and Fire staff identified 155 unmet needs. The top need identified across this group was homelessness outreach (27 instances or 17%), followed by substance use services (19 instances or 12%) and mental health services (19 instances or 12%).
When looking at the population of individuals referred to MIHU between January and July, this group of individuals generated a total of 349 calls for service to the Hayward Fire Department in the prior year. Among these 349 calls for service, 12 individuals comprised 70% (or 246) of these calls for service. This indicates that individuals being referred to the MIHU program are high utilizers of emergency services and, with the appropriate service, connection could reduce the burden on the 911 system.
In September 2022, the MIHU began responding directly to calls for services in the community on a limited basis. On October 25th, the TVHC Mobile Behavioral Health Clinician began working eight hours per week. With the recommended increased contract amount, TVHC’s mobile behavioral health clinician will be able to provide 40 hours of work per week to support the MIHU. Staff will continue to implement the MIHU pilot project and will aim to provide 40 hours per week of MIHU services in the community starting in December 2022. MIHU services must be accessed through the 911 system.
In the first year at full-time capacity, the MIHU will provide clinical services in the field and will also provide clinical services at the Firehouse Clinic that staff can refer to. Staff will closely work with TVHC to assess the long-term staffing model to best provide clinical services to the community through the MIHU.
Fiscal impact
This item has no associated fiscal impact. All funds associated with the referenced agreement have been previously appropriated.
Strategic Roadmap
This agenda item supports the Strategic Priority of Support Quality of Life. Specifically, this item is an update on Project 16: Implement Solutions to Increase Community Safety and all associated subprojects.
Public Contact
The MIHU was developed in collaboration with the community. A comprehensive overview can be found online and through the May 18th, 2021 City Council update on Public Safety Innovation projects.
Next Steps
Staff will continue to implement the MIHU pilot project and will aim to provide 40 hours per week in MIHU services to the community starting in December 2022. Staff will return to Council with project updates.
Prepared by: Jessica Lobedan, Community Services Manager Recommended by: Jennifer Ott, Assistant City Manager
Garrett Contreras, Fire Chief
Bryan Matthews, Acting Chief of Police
Approved by:
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Kelly McAdoo, City Manager
May 18th, 2021 meeting of the Hayward City Council: https://hayward.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4955272&GUID=F899B470-2D3E-4373-9CE0-EF2552EB821D&Options=&Search= May 18th, 2021 meeting of the Hayward City Council: https://hayward.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4955272&GUID=F899B470-2D3E-4373-9CE0-EF2552EB821D&Options=&Search=