Contract Request Template (Contracts; IGAs; Leases)
Date Submitted: 11-28-2022
Requesting Agency: Department of Public Health and Environment
Division:
Subject Matter Expert Name: Will Fenton & Evan Thompkins
Email Address: William.fenton@denvergov.org <mailto:William.fenton@denvergov.org>
Evan.thompkins@denvergov.org <mailto:Evan.thompkins@denvergov.org>
Phone Number:
Item Title & Description:
(Do not delete the following instructions)
These appear on the Council meeting agenda. Initially, the requesting agency will enter a 2-3 sentence description. Upon bill filling, the City Attorney’s Office should enter the title above the description (the title should be in bold font).
Both the title and description must be entered between the red “title” and “body” below. Do not at any time delete the red “title” or “body” markers from this template.
title
A resolution approving a proposed Amendatory Agreement between the City and County of Denver and Mental Health Center of Denver, doing business as WellPower, to extend the term of the agreement and expand the Support Team Assisted Response (STAR) program to add 6 behavioral health clinicians, citywide.
Amends a contract with Mental Health Center of Denver, doing business as WellPower, by adding $885,986 for a new total of $2,277,567 and one year for a new end date of 12-31-2023 to expand the Support Team Assisted Response (STAR) program to add 6 behavioral health clinicians, citywide (ENVHL-202160835/ 202265542-01). The last regularly scheduled Council meeting within the 30-day review period is on 1-30-2023. The Committee approved filing this item at its meeting on 11-30-2022.
body
Affected Council District(s) or citywide? Citywide
Contract Control Number:
ENVHL-202265542-01 Existing: 202160835
Vendor/Contractor Name (including any “DBA”):
Mental Health Center of Denver, doing business as WellPower
Type and Scope of services to be performed:
Approve the contract agreement with Mental Health Center of Denver (MHCD). MHCD will work in partnership with Denver Health and Hospital Authority (DHHA) and Servicios De La Raza to meet the overall needs of the STAR program. The STAR Program deploys Emergency Response Teams that include Emergency Medical Technicians and Behavioral Health Clinicians to engage individuals experiencing distress related to mental health issues, poverty, homelessness, and substance abuse. The contract with MHCD will complete expansion for a fully staffed, citywide program. This project seeks to: 1) Increase the number of calls being responded too and decrease response time with fully staffed Behavioral health Clinician teams 2) increase the effectiveness of the engagements with people in need by providing linkages to short-term assistance and long-term follow-up care. With combined City and Caring4Denver funding, we can increase the number STAR Emergency Response Teams to meet the citywide need. It is estimated that this will lead to (when taking increased transit times and increased demand into account) approximately 10,000 encounters per year. Due to the chronic nature associated with mental health, poverty, homelessness, and/or substance abuse it is assumed that many individual residents will be served multiple times.
Services provided:
1. Increase connection to behavioral health services and community resources for those reached by STAR.
2. Provide more appropriate response and reduce emergency calls to police, fire department, and EMS.
3. Improve information sharing across systems and service providers involved in administering STAR.
4. Increase partnerships with community organizations through collaboration Servicios De La Raza.
5. Provides field-based behavioral health evaluations/problem identification, distress interventions, system navigation and when needed short-term, pro-active engagement of individual previously contacted in the community. Develops short-term case/safety/crisis plan and provides interventions and connections to appropriate treatment with follow-up at disposition times.
6. Initiates follow-through for available benefit enrollment, as appropriate, as well as MHCD referral for enrollment when appropriate.
7. Assist individuals in accessing needed connection to services where transportation may be the immediate barrier.
8. Educate and support communities unfamiliar with resources and community supports about available options. This can be done both from discussion and education as well as linkage to specific community supports.
9. Coordinates access to medication/primary physical needs of consumers with psychiatrists, nurses, and other health sources as available. Maintains accurate and timely clinical records and enters data and completes reports consistent with MHCD standards.
10. Possess knowledge of crisis intervention and trauma. Has the ability to provide brief crisis intervention and support in a trauma informed, client centered approach. Experienced in working with people with severe and persistent mental illness and consumers with high levels of substance misuse and homelessness. Possess knowledge of community resources. Has the ability to place consumer on a 27-65 (M-1) hold.
11. Possess knowledge of consumers’ cultural, religious, ethnic, and social systems interactions, care planning and education. Has a working knowledge of basic physical health terminology and resources. Has skill in establishing a treatment alliance and engaging the customer in goal setting and prioritizing. Possess the ability to communicate effectively and work cooperatively with internal and external customers.
12. Routinely consults, negotiates, and coordinates with internal and external resources to ensure collaborative efforts to maximize consumer outcomes and positive long term service supports. Demonstrates leadership in facilitating multidisciplinary communications and care meetings (i.e. care conference and rounds) and utilizes information to assess and reassess care needs.
13. Clinicians are staff of MHCD but will work in conjunction with Denver 911, Denver Police, STAR Paramedics/ EMTS, Denver Fire, Denver Sheriff, Co-Responder Units, Behavioral Health Solution Center, Walk-in-Crisis Center, Servicious De La Raza staff, and other first responders to coordinate best outcomes and safety. Clinicians are required to be licensed in Colorado as LCSW, LPC with a CAC II or III, or LAC or Masters level working toward licensure. Clinicians are required to have at least three years of experience, Spanish speaking preferred. Clinicians must be able to work cooperatively with uniform DPD officers, Sheriff deputies, and other criminal justice and emergency responders. Criminal background check is required. DPD and CPCC may be consulted as part of the hiring process.
Location (if applicable):
4141 E Dickenson Pl, Denver, CO 80222
WBE/MBE/DBE goals that were applied, if applicable (construction, design, Airport concession contracts): N/A
Are WBE/MBE/DBE goals met (if applicable)? N/A
Is the contract new/a renewal/extension or amendment?
Amendment
Was this contractor selected by competitive process or sole source?
Yes
For New contracts
Term of initial contract:
Options for Renewal:
How many renewals (i.e. up to 2 renewals)?
Term of any renewals (i.e. 1 year each):
Cost of initial contract term:
Cost of any renewals:
Total contract value council is approving if all renewals exercised:
For Amendments/Renewals Extensions:
Is this a change to cost/pricing; length of term; terms unrelated to time or price (List all that apply)?
Cost/Pricing and Length of term
If length changing
What was the length of the term of the original contract?
1/1/2022-12/31/2022
What is the length of the extension/renewal?
1 year
What is the revised total term of the contract?
1/1/2022-12/31/2022
If cost changing
What was the original value of the entire contract prior to this proposed change?
$1,391,579.00
What is the value of the proposed change? $885,986.00
What is the new/revised total value including change?
$2,277,567.00
If terms changing
Describe the change and the reason for it (i.e. compliance with state law, different way of doing business etc.)
Approve the contract agreement with Mental Health Center of Denver (MHCD). MHCD will work in partnership with Denver Health and Hospital Authority (DHHA) and Servicios De La Raza to meet the overall needs of the STAR program. The STAR Program deploys Emergency Response Teams that include Emergency Medical Technicians and Behavioral Health Clinicians to engage individuals experiencing distress related to mental health issues, poverty, homelessness, and substance abuse. The contract with MHCD will complete expansion for a fully staffed, citywide program. This project seeks to: 1) Increase the number of calls being responded too and decrease response time with fully staffed Behavioral health Clinician teams 2) increase the effectiveness of the engagements with people in need by providing linkages to short-term assistance and long-term follow-up care. With combined City and Caring4Denver funding, we can increase the number STAR Emergency Response Teams to meet the citywide need. It is estimated that this will lead to (when taking increased transit times and increased demand into account) approximately 10,000 encounters per year. Due to the chronic nature associated with mental health, poverty, homelessness, and/or substance abuse it is assumed that many individual residents will be served multiple times.