The Houston Health Department (HHD) requests City Council to approve and authorize an interlocal agreement between the City and Harris Center for a systems of care manager (SOCM). The term of the agreement is from the date of countersignature by the City Controller for one year with four successive one-year renewals. The total contract amount is $489,125.00 with an initial allocation of $97,825.00.
My Brother’s Keeper (MBK Houston) is a collaborative effort led by the Houston Health Department (HHD) which seeks to address the disparities and opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color by optimizing and aligning the resources of existing community initiatives and organizations across a variety of sectors, such as education, health, nonprofit, government, and business
Under this agreement, Harris Health will provide one SOCM to launch the MBK System of Care (SOC) in each of the three designated MBK areas. A system of care is an organizational framework that involves collaboration across agencies, families, and youth for the purpose of improving access and expanding the array of coordinated community-based, culturally and linguistically competent services and supports for children and youth with a serious emotional disturbance and their families.
The SOCM will oversee the work activities of designated SOC staff (including Senior Counselors). The SOCM will work closely with the designated SOC staff to ensure SOC implementation in each MBK area. He/she will be responsible for ensuring each component of the SOC is functioning effectively. The SOCM will develop policies and processes for SOC implementation and ensure the referral, triage, staffing and service components have effective processes being utilized. The SOCM will also be responsible for compiling documentation and reporting of all SOC activities.