DEPARTMENT: Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Melody Woosley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
University of Incarnate Word (UIW) Health Care Services Agreement
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes the execution of a Health Care Services Agreement with University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professionals for the provision of lead and hemoglobin health screening services for Head Start and Early Head Start Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) Programs. The contract will commence upon execution and extend through July 31, 2018, with an option to renew for five additional, one-year terms, for a total value not to exceed $540,000.00.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Head Start and Early Head Start Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) programs are federally-funded early childhood education and development programs administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Head Start and EHS-CCP programs provide much-needed services to the most vulnerable children and work to ensure: (1) children are prepared for kindergarten; (2) families are self-sufficient and know how to support children’s school readiness; (3) children are healthy and ready to learn; (4) children have safe environments to learn and thrive; and (5) highly-qualified staff are actively recruited and retained.
The City’s Head Start program, through the Department of Human Services (DHS), provides comprehensive, high-quality early childhood education as well as family support and medical services to 3,020 children: 777 children in the Edgewood Independent School District (EISD) and 2,243 children in the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD). As the program grantee, DHS provides direct program management, oversight, training and technical assistance, governance, family support and mental wellness services. This comprehensive service approach positively impacts Head Start families and staff, and addresses the needs of the whole child. DHS also contracts with EISD and SAISD for the provision of educational and disability services, and the Metropolitan Health District for dental services. All Head Start teachers are certified teachers with a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in child development, early childhood education, or a related field. Teaching assistants are required within two years of hire to have a Child Development Associate Credential (CDA), a technical certificate that meets or exceeds CDA credential, or an associate or baccalaureate degree in any area.
The City’s EHS-CCP program provides early childhood education and development for 216 children ages six weeks to 35 months. DHS partners with six non-profit inner-city child care centers to expand access to high-quality comprehensive services for low-income infants and toddlers and their families. EHS-CCP teachers must have a CDA for Infant and Toddler care or an equivalent credential that meets or exceeds CDA requirements within one year of hire.
All Head Start and EHS-CCP programs are required to provide health screenings including lead and hemoglobin screening services to enrolled children to promote healthy development and optimal learning.
To procure high quality medical services, the DHS published a Request for Proposal (RFP) for organizations to provide lead and hemoglobin health screening services for children and to develop a comprehensive health plan for families in the City’s Head Start and Early Head Start families. Three proposal responses were received and two were determined eligible. An evaluation panel comprised of City staff reviewed and scored the proposals. Based on panel recommendations and the quality of their proposal, DHS recommends contracting with the University of the Incarnate Word Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions.
UIW will provide the appropriate on-site lead and hemoglobin screenings to enrolled children, as well as develop a comprehensive health plan. Additionally, UIW must meet the non-federal share requirement of the grant in the form of in-kind services or non-cash transactions in the form of goods or services that benefit the program. Per federal Head Start regulations, these services may consist of the value of equipment and the value of goods and services directly benefiting the program and specifically identifiable to it.
ISSUE:
This Ordinance authorizes the execution of a health care services agreement with the University of Incarnate Word through July 31, 2018, with five one-year renewal options, to provide lead and hemoglobin screenings to children enrolled in the City of San Antonio Head Start and EHS-CCP Program, and to develop a comprehensive health plan,. The total amount is not to exceed $540,000.00 over the six year period.
This agreement will be awarded in compliance with the Small Business Economic Development Advocacy (SBEDA) Program, which requires contracts be reviewed by a Goal Setting Committee to establish a requirement and/or incentive unique to the particular contract in an effort to maximize the amount of small, minority, and women-owned business participation on the contract. The Goal Setting Committee applied the Small Business Enterprise Prime Program with (10) evaluation preference points and Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise Prime Contract Program with (10) evaluation preference points. No evaluation preference points were awarded to University of the Incarnate Word, as they are not a certified SBE or MWBE located within the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should this agreement not be approved, the Department of Human Services will need to identify another vendor for these services which would result in a delay of health screening services to Head Start and EHS-CCP children and in the development of a community health plan.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes the execution of a Health Care Services Agreement through July 31, 2018 with five one-year renewal options, with the University of Incarnate Word in an amount not to exceed $540,000.00, which will be funded utilizing the Head Start and EHS-CCP Grants.
There is no fiscal impact to the General Fund.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of a Health Care Services Agreement with the University of Incarnate Word to provide ongoing lead and hemoglobin health screenings for children enrolled in the Head Start and EHS-CCP programs and to develop a comprehensive health plan.