Finance and Management Services
www.santa-ana.org/finance
Item # 10
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
May 6, 2025
TOPIC: Ground Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Services
AGENDA TITLE
First Amendment to Agreement with Falck Mobile Health Corporation dba CARE Ambulance Service to Provide Expanded Ground Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Services for the Santa Ana Police Department and Provision of Ambulance Compliance Data to Orange County Emergency Medical Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Authorize the City Manager to execute an Amendment to the Agreement with Falck Mobile Health Corporation dba CARE to add on the contract’s Scope of Work for Santa Ana Police Department ground non-emergency medical transportation services and monthly provision of Ambulance Compliance Data to Orange County Emergency Medical Services (Agreement No. A-2025-XXX).
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: Yes
DISCUSSION
The Santa Ana Police Department (“SAPD”) is tasked with enforcing the City’s laws and regulations that apply to all persons within the City’s boundaries, including persons with physical and mental disabilities. Most frequently, SAPD officers are encountering individuals who may not need assistance with being transported to a jail or medical facility.
However, on some occasions, officers may engage with individuals with disabilities that require transportation that is not fit for a typical police car and are best transported in specialized, medical vehicles.
Currently, SAPD does not possess the specialized transportation equipment or vehicles required to safely and securely transport persons with certain physical or mental conditions. Furthermore, SAPD officers are not medically trained on the nuances of interacting with persons with certain medical conditions and improper interactions could pose a risk to the officer or members of the public.
As such, staff reviewed various options to address this gap in service, adhere to federal law requirements (specifically Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)), and ensure that the safety of the community, as well as the officers, is not adversely impacted.
Amend Agreement with Falck Mobile Health Corporation
May 6, 2025
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Staff found that other police departments purchased the necessary equipment and hired trained personnel; however, this came at a high cost for a service that is infrequently used for Santa Ana. Instead, staff identified a cost-effective measure, which is to utilize the existing relationship with Falck, the City’s contracted ground emergency medical transport provider, to establish medical transportation services for detainees.
The proposed contract amendment would not alter the emergency provisions of the agreement with Falck. The amendment would add an independent service specifically for SAPD on an as-needed basis in which Falck would use its own vehicles and personnel to safely transport persons to and from medical and jail facilities. The dedication of ambulances or other vehicles will not reduce the required number of ambulances needed on standby throughout the City nor will they impact response times. Lastly, the amendment will not impact the enforcement provisions of the existing agreement.
Lastly, the Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA) is a regional health jurisdiction and accredited health department. A division of OCHCA is the Orange County Emergency Medical Services (OCEMS) office, which is tasked with protecting and promoting individual, family, and community health through regulation of emergency medical services including, but not limited to, ground transportation. OCEMS has the ability to verify ambulance call data and the City’s contract with Falck includes performance standards for response time. As a means to improve the City’s oversight of Falck’s response time performance, the City also proposed to amend the agreement with a requirement for Falck to submit, on a monthly basis, ambulance response time compliance data to OCEMS for review and validation to ensure adherence by Falck to contracted ambulance response times.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
There is no environmental impact associated with this action.
FISCAL IMPACT
Falck has agreed to provide transports with at least 24-hour notice at no additional charge; and has agreed to provide five free calls per year with less than 24-hour notice. For any additional calls with less than 24-hour notice, the City will be charged $60 per 15-minute increment. Considering the expected use of this service, staff does not anticipate incurring any charges; and therefore does not expect a fiscal impact to the Falck amendment for the additional SAPD non-emergency service.
EXHIBIT(S)
1. First Amendment to Agreement with Falck Mobile Health Corporation Submitted By: Alexander Trinidad, Acting Executive Director of Finance and Management Services Agency
Approved By: Alvaro Nuñez, City Manager