TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Jennifer Yasumoto, Director of Health and Human Services Agency
REPORT BY: Gaby Angeles, Staff Services Analyst II
SUBJECT: Amendment No. 3 to Agreement No. 170846B with Language Line Services, Inc.
RECOMMENDATION
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Director of Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) requests approval of and authorization for the Chair to sign Amendment No. 3 to Agreement No. 170846B with Language Line Services, Inc., for a new contract maximum of $75,000 and replace the Statement of Work attachment for Fiscal Year 2022-2023, and each subsequent automatic renewal, in order to accommodate a rate change and projected increase of services, for professional interpretation and translation services.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Approval of today’s action will increase the maximum contract amount by $25,000 for a new contract maximum of $75,000 in order to accommodate a usage increase and a rate change for a higher tier of video-based services.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
Yes |
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Where is it budgeted? |
Health & Human Services-Multiple Divisions |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Mandatory |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
This Agreement contains a provision for automatic annual renewal. Appropriations have been included in the approved Fiscal Year 2022-2023 budget and future fiscal years will be budgeted accordingly. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
If not approved, the level of service provided to Napa County HHSA clientele would be severely impacted. Without adequate interpretation and translation services communication with HHSA clients could be ineffectual, leading to potential compliance issues with federal and state mandates. |
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County Strategic Plan pillar addressed: |
Effective and Open Government |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
HHSA is required to provide linguistically competent translation and interpretation to individuals seeking, or receiving, services in the language of their choosing. California Department of Social Services Division 21 Civil Rights Regulations, Department of Health Care Services Cultural Competency Plan Requirements under California Code of Regulations, Title 9, §1810.410 (9 CCR §1810.410), and other State and Federal laws that regulate public services administered by HHSA, require that those services be provided equitably to persons who have limited English proficiency (LEP) or who have other language or communication barriers. To meet these requirements and ensure that all residents of Napa County are afforded equitable access to public services, HHSA contracts with Language Line Services, Inc. which offers in person, telephonic, and video interpretation as well as document translation in over 240 languages.
To ensure that HHSA can meet the increasing demand for language translation and interpretation services for this fiscal year, and for projected future years, this amendment will increase the annual contract maximum to $75,000. This increase will also reflect the cost of changing the tier of the video-based services. This change will increase the overall contract maximum due to higher usage but will do so at a more efficient rate. The previous Statement of Work allows for up to 10 devices activated for video-based services at a rate of $30 a month. Due to current, and projected, increased use of this service it is more cost effective to opt for the one-time activation fee of $2,500 which will provide unlimited device activations.