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CC - CONSENT ITEM: Approval of an Amendment to Existing Agreement with Vital Medical Services, LLC, to Provide In-House Medical Service Provisions for Arrestees (Pre-Booking Medical Clearances) and Management of the Department’s Naloxone HCI (Narcan) Program, by Increasing the Compensation for an Additional Amount Not-to-Exceed $190,000 for an Aggregate Contract Amount Not-To-Exceed $715,000.
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Meeting Date: September 23, 2024
Contact Person/Dept.: Captain Luis Martinez/Police Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-6391
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Attachments: Yes [] No [X]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (09/17/2024)
Department Approval Name, Title Date: Jason Sims, Police Chief (09/04/2024) _____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve an amendment to the existing agreement with Vital Medical Services, LLC, to provide in-house medical service provisions for arrestees (pre-booking medical clearances) and management of the Department’s Naloxane HCI (Narcan) Program, by increasing compensation by an additional amount not-to-exceed $190,000 for an aggregate contract amount-not-to exceed $715,000.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The Culver City Police Department (CCPD) is required to provide medical services to arrestees known to have or who are declaring medical issues or injuries after booking and housing in the CCPD jail. Additionally, the Department routinely requires medical services in the form of blood draws for those arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and/ or drugs (DUI). Arrestees requiring pre-booking medical clearance, medical care, or blood draws are transported by police officers to local hospitals. The cost of the hospital emergency room visit is borne by the Department. Arrestees may also require follow-up medical treatments for wound care or the dispersal of medicine, which require additional police transports. Transporting arrestees to medical facilities places a burden on the Department’s patrol personnel and takes away valuable time from responding to the community’s public safety needs.
On July 13, 2020, the City entered into a five-year Medical Services Agreement with Vital Medical Services, LLC, for in-house medical services for CCPD arrestees in an amount-not-to-exceed $525,000.
Medical services covered under the agreement include (1) pre-booking medical clearances provided to arrestees who exhibit or complain of medical conditions for which police personnel are unable or unqualified to administer treatment, (2) blood draws taken from persons arrested for driving under the influence (DUI), (3) the testing of arrestees and employees for communicable diseases, and (4) oversight and management of the departments Naloxone (Narcan) Program. Under the agreement, all medical services are administered by experienced, licensed medical personnel under the supervision of a licensed emergency care physician. Vital Medical Services is also contractually obligated to provide medically certified personnel on an on-call basis, 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. After being called by Police Department personnel, Vital Medical Services staff members respond to the City jail and provide arrestees with immediate medical treatment. The service provided by Vital Medical Services has been reliable and exemplary over the past 9 years.
The average cost of a hospital emergency room visit has increased over the years. For example, the cost of an emergency room visit to Southern California Hospital was previously $1,008 to $2,705 per visit depending on the medical services provided. Since 2020, that cost has increased to $1,776 to $6,574 per visit depending on the medical services rendered. Moreover, transporting and supervising arrestees to and from medical facilities by Police personnel is costly. It is not uncommon for officers to spend hours with an arrestee in an emergency room waiting for booking clearance, which ultimately takes away valuable time from Police personnel in responding to the community’s public safety needs.
Vital Medical Services’ rate for a pre-booking medical clearance examination was previously $542 per arrestee. That cost is now $612 per arrestee. Additionally, a blood draw was previously $210 per draw. That cost is now $236 per draw. Nonetheless, the financial savings of using Vital Medical Services as opposed to a hospital emergency room visit is considered substantial. Lastly, staff estimates that the use of Vital Medical Services saves patrol officers approximately 600 hours of field time on an annual basis, directly resulting in a positive impact on the Department’s ability to respond to calls for service in the field as well as addressing overtime expenditures. Based on the in-house medical service usage, the final year of the five-year contract requires an increased contract amount of $190,000.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 includes $190,000 of funding for the proposed amendment in Account No. 10140200.619800 (Operating Bureaus - Other Contracted Services) which can be found in the Police Department section of the budget book in Operating Bureaus.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
MOTIONS
That the City Council:
1. Approve an amendment to the existing agreement with Vital Medical Services, LLC, to provide in-house medical services provisions for arrestees (pre-booking medical clearances), as well as DUI blood draws and management of the Department’s Naloxone (Narcan) Program, by increasing the compensation by an additional amount not-to-exceed $190,000 for an aggregate contract amount not-to-exceed $715,000; and
2. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.