MEETING DATE: 5/21/2019
DEPARTMENT: BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
DEPT HEAD/DIRECTOR: Alan Yamamoto
AGENDA ITEM PREPARER:
SBC DEPT FILE NUMBER:
SUBJECT:
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT - A. YAMAMOTO
Approve contract renewal with California Locums, PC for Psychiatry Services for the period of July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020, in the amount of $375,000.00.
SBC FILE NUMBER: 810
AGENDA SECTION:
CONSENT AGENDA
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:
California Locums, PC provides recruitment and placement of high quality physician, M.D. specialists, including psychiatrists. The Behavioral Health Department has similar contracts with other organizations, as there is never a guarantee that these organizations can successfully source a psychiatrist for our department and within the time periods we require. Because psychiatrists are in high demand and considered to be in the category of healthcare professional shortage, it is prudent that we have multiple psychiatry sourcing entities under contract to allow us to be in the best position to ensure no lapse in essential service areas such as psychiatry.
Many county mental health departments in the Bay Area and other parts of the state utilize the services of multiple Locum Tenen’s organizations to fill their need for Psychiatry services. We experience at times impaction of need for the already scarce resource of Psychiatrists. Other providers of Behavioral Health care are offering high rates of pay that make it very difficult for counties to compete.
Also the continued growth of MHSA and Affordable Care Act have increased the volume of clients seeking psychiatry supervised outpatient medication services. Consequently additional Psychiatry time has been a necessary resource to acquire for all counties. This contract will be paid through MHSA funds, MediCal revenue generation, already existing realignment funds that were previously designated for the purchase of psychiatry services and to a small degree private insurance payment.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT: County Jail and Juvenile Hall detainees may receive medication support services through the Behavioral Health Department.
BUDGETED:
Yes