Title
Joint resolution authorizing the County Board Chairman to sign a contract with North Highland Consulting, Chicago, Illinois, for facilitation and consulting services for the Lake County Mental Health Coalition in an amount not to exceed $379,450.
Staff Summary
• In August 2016, Chairman Aaron Lawlor announced the formation of the Lake County Mental Health Coalition along with his co-chair Honorable Susan Garrett (former Illinois State Senator, 29th District) and a diverse group of stakeholders that are capable of effecting community-level change in the way our community addresses mental, emotional, and behavioral health needs.
• The focus of the Lake County Mental Health Coalition will be to leverage limited financial resources across agencies by developing a multi-agency data sharing model and network that will aid service providers in coordinating care and identifying service gaps. The long-term goal is to work with all partners to share data, collaborate on services, develop evidence-based practices, and, together, build a sustainable continuum of care.
• There is a need for consultant services to work with and support the efforts of the Lake County Mental Health Coalition.
• In this phase, the consultant will conduct a current state assessment, evaluate options for data sharing, develop data sharing agreements, and utilize research-based best practices to aid service providers to have the data they need to collectively build service capacity, address service gaps, enhance mental, behavioral and emotional health services, and to collectively evaluate program outcomes.
• A Request for Proposal (RFP) was extended to 17 vendors, sealed proposals were received from four vendors, and interviews were held with three firms.
• Based on the criteria set forth in the RFP, the evaluation committee selected North Highland Consulting, Chicago, Illinois, as the most favorable proposal for Lake County.
• Funds for this contract are included as part of the 2017 budget and carry-over process and this resolution authorizes the County Board Chairman to sign a contract in an amount not to exceed $379,450.
Body
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, in accordance with Section 5-102 of the Lake County Purchasing
Ordinance, proposals were called for by publication for; facilitation of the Lake County Mental Health Coalition and
WHEREAS, our nation and Lake County are facing a mental health crisis. Mental health challenges impact each and every one of our communities and creates a crisis situation that affects the individual, as well as families, friends, neighbors, employers, schools, hospitals, and the criminal justice system; and
WHEREAS, one in five adults (43.8 million) in the United States (U.S.) lives with a mental condition and one-half of all chronic mental illness begins by the age of 14 and three-quarters by the age of 24; and
WHEREAS, persons living with serious mental illness face an increased risk of having chronic medical conditions and adults in the U.S. living with serious mental illness die an average of 25 years earlier than others, largely due to treatable medical conditions; and
WHEREAS, 17 percent of adults in Northern Lake County reported mental illness in the past year; and
WHEREAS, in August 2016, Chairman Aaron Lawlor and Honorable Susan Garrett (former Illinois State Senator, 29th District) announced the diverse group of stakeholders representing hospitals, health, housing and others to leverage resources and maximize their collaborative impact; and
WHEREAS, initially the stakeholders shared information on existing initiatives, a data presentation on Live Well Lake County’s interactive health map, hospital services, and local providers’ mental health services already in place; and
WHEREAS the Lake County Mental Health Coalition focus will be on data-sharing and evidence based practices to identify gaps, and recommend a sustainable continuum of care for the vulnerable mental health population so they can receive consistent treatment; and
WHEREAS, subsequent to said publication, requests for proposals were extended to 17 vendors; and
WHEREAS, sealed proposals were received from four vendors and opened in the County Building, Waukegan, Illinois, on January 26, 2017 at 2:00 p.m.; and
WHEREAS, an evaluation committee made up representatives from the Health Department and County Administrator’s office held interviews with the top three firms; and
WHEREAS, based on the criteria set forth in the Request for Proposal, the Evaluation Committee comprised of representatives from Health Department and County Administrator’s office selected North Highland Consulting, Chicago, Illinois, as the most favorable proposal for Lake County; and
WHEREAS, as part of the 2017 Budget and carry-over process, the County Administrator’s Office budgeted for this service and will also manage this contract in conjunction with the Health Department.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by this County Board of Lake County, Illinois, that that the County Board Chairman is authorized to enter into a contract with North Highland Consulting, Chicago, Illinois, for facilitation of the Lake County Mental Health Coalition in the amount of $379,450 and charging to account number 101-1102040-71150.
DATED at Waukegan, Illinois, April 11, 2017.