Item:
Title
Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 21BCCC000088 Increasing Youth Home Expenditure Budget for Psychiatric Services for Youth Home and Contract Amendment for Services
Body
Date of BOCC Meeting: March 8, 2021
Request for Board Action:
Agenda Text
The Board is requested to approve Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 21BCCC000088 increasing the Youth Home expenditure budget by $7,200 to cover the increased contract cost of providing psychiatric services and medication management to juveniles in the Durham County Youth Home. Funding for this need will come from funds that were set aside at the outset of FY 2020-21 to address potential revenue shortfalls and/or address expenditure overages. A Budget Amendment is needed because the County’s expenditures are adopted by the Budget Ordinance at the Functional Area level, and this transaction requires a transfer from General Government to Public Safety. The Board is also requested to authorize the County Manager to sign the amended contract with Psychiatric Services and Consultation to add psychiatric services and medication management for juveniles in the Durham County Youth Home.
This contract amendment, which increases the contract amount from $98,280 to $105,480, will add two to three (2-3) hours per week of medical staff time that will be used to interview youth detained at the Youth Home, prescribe medications, and review medications on established review intervals. Psychiatric Services at the Youth Home will be billed at the hourly rate of $200.
The Youth Home currently does not have regular onsite psychiatric services available. If these services are required, youth are transported to community-based services. Since “Raise the Age” and associated legislation went into effect, more juveniles are confined for longer periods of time at the facility due to very serious charges. This provision will allow the youth to remain at the Youth Home, reducing security risks, and developing a regular medication management protocol for those remaining at the facility for extended periods of time.
Medication management is critical to providing seamless medical care for juveniles detained for prolonged periods. This gap in service is widening as the County experiences minors being detained longer and charged with serious felonies. The average length of stay is twenty-three days, a 109% increase in admissions length of stays for the same period last year. CJRC and the Youth Home will collaborate to continue these services next fiscal year which will be reflected in next year’s budget requests.
Durham County Purchasing Division issued a Request for Qualifications for Professional Psychiatric Services (RFQ 18-033) for the Durham Detention Center in May 2018. Psychiatric Services and Consultation, PC was the only respondent. Additional funding was appropriated in the FY20 budget to increase the hourly rate to $135.00 and the weekly number of hours from 12 to 14 which will allow Dr. Knaudt additional time to review protocols and processes in her function as the Detention Center Mental Health Director.
The County Attorney’s Office has reviewed the service contract amendment.
Alignment with Strategic Plan: This item aligns with Goal 3 Safe Community, Goal 2: Health and Well Being for All, and Goal 5: Accountable, Efficient, Visionary Government.
Resource Persons: Gudrun Parmer, Criminal Justice Resource Center Director, Angela G. Nunn, Youth Home Director, Jodi Miller, General Manager, and David Ades, Assistant Director Budget and Management
County Manager’s Recommendation: The County Manager recommends that the Board of County Commissioners approve Budget Ordinance Amendment No.21BCCC000088 increasing the Youth Home expenditure budget by $7,200 to cover the increased contract cost of providing psychiatric services and medication management to juveniles in the Youth Home. The Board is also requested to authorize the County Manager to sign the amended Psychiatric Services and Consultation contract.
Signature