TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: Behavioral Health and Recovery Services
MEETING DATE: June 3, 2025
DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
Jenine Miller, Psy.D.
PHONE:
707-472-2341
ITEM TYPE: Consent Agenda
TIME ALLOCATED FOR ITEM: N/A
AGENDA TITLE:
title
Approval of Agreement with The SmithWaters Group in the Amount of $57,600, to Provide Patients' Rights Advocacy Services to Mendocino County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Beneficiaries, Effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026
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RECOMMENDED ACTION/MOTION:
recommendation
Approve Agreement with The SmithWaters Group in the amount of $57,600, to provide patients' rights advocacy services to Mendocino County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services beneficiaries, effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026; authorize the Health Services Director or designee to sign any future amendments to the Agreement that do not increase the annual maximum amount; and authorize Chair to sign same.
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PREVIOUS BOARD/BOARD COMMITTEE ACTIONS:
None.
SUMMARY OF REQUEST:
California law, including the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act and other laws, states that the beneficiaries of mental health services all have certain rights, even when receiving treatment involuntarily. According to Welfare and Institution Code Section 5325.1, "persons with mental illness have the same legal rights and responsibilities guaranteed to all other persons by the Federal Constitution and laws and Constitution and laws of the State of California unless specifically limited by federal or state law or regulations". As stated in the regulations, within the LPS system there are rights some of which can never be denied, and some of which can be denied if there is a "good cause." The State of California requires each local Mental Health Program to provide Patient's Right Advocacy (PRA) services for clients of Mental Health.
Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) intends to contract with The SmithWaters Group to provide these State-...
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