CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 6/17/2025
DEPARTMENT: Management Services
SUBJECT:
TRAUMA INTERVENTION SERVICES AGREEMENT
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
1. Award a three-year Professional Consultant Services Agreement with a compensation amount not-to-exceed $32,658 to Trauma Intervention Program, Inc., for support services to victims of traumatic events.
2. Authorize the Mayor to sign, and the Interim City Clerk to attest, the Agreement with Trauma Intervention Program, Inc., substantially in the form attached.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Trauma Intervention Program ("TIP") of Orange County is a chapter of the Trauma Intervention Program, Inc., a national non-profit organization. Founded in 1985, TIP of Orange County provides services to victims of traumatic events.
Services are requested by the Orange County Sheriff's Department ("OCSD") or the Orange County Fire Authority ("OCFA") after an incident. The TIP of Orange County volunteer(s) will arrive at the scene typically within 30 minutes to provide emotional support to survivors of a tragedy such as a house fire or the unexpected death of a family member. After being briefed of the situation, the TIP volunteer will coordinate any services or resources needed to meet the needs of the victim or victim's family to help ease their immediate suffering or facilitate their healing and long-term recovery.
Lake Forest Municipal Code Section 3.12.160 authorizes contracts for professional services without utilizing a request for proposals procedure if the City Council determines that use of the request for proposals procedure is not in the best interest of the City. In this circumstance, TIP of Orange County is the sole provider of trauma intervention services utilized by the OCSD and OCFA.
Further, due to the specialized nature of the services, staff could not identify an alternate service provider. Therefore, staff recommends the City Council approve the proposed three-year Professional Consultant Services Agreement with TIP of Orange County with a compensation amount of $32,658 (Attachment 1). The 2025-2027 Operating Budget includes sufficient funds to cover the costs of the recommended action.
BACKGROUND:
City of Lake Forest residents have benefited from the services of TIP of Orange County for almost 30 years since the chapter’s inception in 1985. TIP of Orange County volunteers are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to assist anyone impacted or distraught by a traumatic event including:
•Family and friends following a natural or unexpected death •Victims or witnesses of crime, including rape, assault, robbery, burglary, or kidnapping
•Victims of fire or flood
•Families of missing persons
•Disoriented or lonely older persons
•Survivors, witnesses, bystanders or family of those involved in accidents •Survivors of suicide
•Employees after workplace incidents
•Survivors of mass casualty or disaster
The Orange County Fire Authority (“OCFA”), Orange County Sheriff's Department (“OCSD”), or California Highway Patrol (“CHP”) contact TIP of Orange County to provide support to family and friends at an event location, allowing public safety personnel to focus on managing the situation. This is a conduit to provide services and assistance in times where people may be distraught and require the emotional support and professional assistance TIP of Orange County provides.
TIP of Orange County volunteers are trained professionals in mental health, law enforcement, and behavioral health, and/or are counselors who have experienced or have helped those that have experienced emotional crisis situations. TIP of Orange County volunteers can provide on-scene emotional support to clients as well as arrange for shelter, food, clothing, and transportation. They can be the liaison between law enforcement and emergency personnel. TIP of Orange County volunteers will provide information and referrals to appropriate service providers and agencies for on-going support and advocate for vulnerable victims as needed, even extending past the initial contact. To date, the City has not received any complaints regarding the volunteers or service from TIP.
DISCUSSION:
TIP of Orange County has 110 active volunteers that are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. They respond within 20 minutes of receiving a call for service. TIP volunteers are required to be prepared and ready to respond within three minutes of receiving a request by emergency responders.
The services provided to Lake Forest residents in 2024 is listed in Table 1 below.
Table 1: Services to Lake Forest Residents in 2024
Jan-Mar April - June July - Sept Oct - Dec
Residents Served 56 60 42 82
Emergency Responders
Assisted 34 34 18 34
Follow up (phone calls,
referrals, information,
etc.)
44 37 29 45
Volunteer Hours on
scene 76+ 74 54 54
Average Response Time 20 min 22 min 20 min 23 min
Ready Alert Hours 11,880 11,880 11,880 11,880
Volunteers Continuing
Education Hours 960 990 990 990
TIP volunteers responded to a variety of calls during 2024, including suicide, motor vehicle accident, natural deaths, senior deaths, death notification, natural unexpected deaths, overdose, baby deaths, and bank robbery.
TIP of Orange County is the only known organization that works closely with OCSD, OCFA, and all Orange County law enforcement and fire agencies. Lake Forest Police Services staff is highly complementary of TIP of Orange County services. Deputies can focus on the scene investigation while TIP volunteers are able to take care of the family members, especially when death is involved. TIP volunteers guide the family through the next steps of what is to come.
Lake Forest Municipal Code Section 3.12.160 permits contracts for professional services without utilizing a request for proposals procedure if the City Council determines that use of the request for proposals procedure is not in the best interest of the City. In this case, TIP of Orange County is the sole provider of trauma intervention services utilized by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
Further, due to the specialized nature of the services, staff could not identify an alternate service provider.
Staff recommend the City Council find it to be in the best interest of the City and its residents to forego the request for proposal procedure and approve a three- year Professional Consultant Services Agreement with TIP of Orange County with a not-to-exceed amount of $32,658.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The proposed Professional Consultant Services Agreement with TIP of Orange County includes a total compensation amount of $32,658 for a term of three years. Sufficient funding is included in the proposed 2025-2027 Operating Budget to cover the recommended action.
ATTACHMENT:
Professional Consultant Services Agreement with TIP of Orange County Initiated By: Sharlyn De la Paz, Administrative Services Manager Submitted By: Sean McGovern, Deputy City Manager
Approved By: Debra Rose, City Manager