(July 1)  The county board of supervisors last week approved contracts with two companies for a combined total of  $13.88 million  for the provision of drug addiction treatment services to individuals identified by the county’s behavioral health department as mentally disordered narcotics users.
According to Casonya Thomas, the director of the department of behavioral health, two companies, Aegis Treatment Centers, LLC and WCHS, Inc. doing business as Colton Clinical Services, will be given the contracts.
Thomas said Aegis Treatment Centers, LLC’s contract will be in the amount of $8,282,679 and WCHS, Inc.’s contract will be for $5,598,948.
The department of behavioral health, through the alcohol and drug services program, maintains a provider network comprised of contracted community-based agencies licensed by the California Department of Health Care Services to provide substance use disorder treatment services to eligible Medi-Cal beneficiaries through the Drug Medi-Cal Narcotic Treatment Program. Aegis Treatment Centers, LLC and WCHS, Inc. are licensed by the California Department of Health Care Services to provide substance use disorder treatment services and are the only two entities within San Bernardino County that provide the required narcotic treatment program services to county residents. The department of behavioral health anticipates that the two companies will provide narcotic treatment services countywide to approximately 1,739 clients annually at an estimated cost of $2,661 per client.
The department of behavioral health serves as a pass-through agency billing and receiving reimbursement from Medi-Cal for qualified narcotic treatment program services provided by its contracted a agencies. The department of behavioral health determines the number of narcotic treatment program slots allocated to the county based on the recommendation of the department of behavioral health’s alcohol and drug administrator. Because of the California Department of Health Care Services’ oversight and licensing requirements, there is no procurement conducted for these substance use disorder treatment services. Narcotics treatment program services include narcotic replacement therapy to individuals with substance use disorder, as well as individual and group counseling. As Medi-Cal narcotics treatment program providers, Aegis and WHCS deliver services to eligible Medi-Cal beneficiaries at California Department of Health Care Services-licensed outpatient clinics located in San Bernardino County.
The department of behavioral health has provided narcotics treatment program services through contracted providers since 2002.
Narcotic replacement therapy is an umbrella term encompassing a variety of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment modalities, including therapeutic use of the specialized opioid compound methadone to extinguish drug craving, prevent withdrawal symptoms, and thus establish a maintenance state.
The recommended contracts with Aegis and WCHS for narcotic treatment program substance use disorder services include the option of two one-year extensions contingent upon funding and contractor performance. The department of behavioral health will monitor contractor performance on a regular basis to ensure compliance standards are met.