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Authorize the acceptance of a $1,005,205 allocation from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) for public health workforce development for the current period through June 30, 2023; Authorize the acceptance of a $541,218 allocation from the CDPH to support equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and respond to future public health emergencies for the current period through May 31, 2023; Approve a $331,201 Appropriation Transfer Request to recognize the two unanticipated revenues in the current period through June 30, 2022 (4/5 vote required); Approve a contract with Redwood Community Health Coalition for $275,000 to support COVID-19 outreach and engagement across multiple community clinics for the current period through June 30, 2022; Authorize the County Administrator to execute the agreement; and Adopt a resolution to amend the List of Numbers and Classifications and add the following limited-term positions: 2.0 FTE Health Education Specialists, 1.0 FTE Public Health Microbiologist, 2.0 FTE Public Health Nurses and 1.0 FTE Project Manager through June 30, 2023
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Published Notice Required? Yes ___ No _x _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ___ No _x_
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Health and Social Services (H&SS) recommends that the Board of Supervisors:
1) Authorize the acceptance of a $1,005,205 allocation from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) for public health workforce development for the current period through June 30, 2023;
2) Authorize the acceptance of a $541,218 allocation from the CDPH to support equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and respond to future public health emergencies for the current period through May 31, 2023;
3) Approve a $331,201 Appropriation Transfer Request to recognize the unanticipated revenues for the current period through June 30, 2022 (4/5 vote required);
4) Approve a contract with Redwood Community Health Coalition for $275,000 to support COVID-19 outreach and engagement across multiple community clinics for the current period through June 30, 2022;
5) Authorize the County Administrator to execute the agreement; and
6) Adopt a resolution to amend the List of Numbers and Classifications and add the following limited-term positions: 2.0 FTE Health Education Specialists, 1.0 FTE Public Health Microbiologist, 2.0 FTE Public Health Nurses and 1.0 FTE Project Manager through June 30, 2023.
SUMMARY:
On September 3, 2021 and August 31, 2021 respectively, Solano Public Health received notification from California Department of Public Health (CDPH) that Solano would receive $1,546,423 from the California Equitable Recovery Initiative (CERI) funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Initiative to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities Among Populations at High-Risk and Underserved, including Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations and Rural Communities grant and COVID-19 Public Health Crisis Response and the Public Health Workforce Development (WFD) Supplemental funding through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. These funds shall be used to increase capacity for local health jurisdictions to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and future emergencies. The workforce development funds will be available for use from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023, and the equitable recovery funds are available from September 1, 2021 to May 31, 2023.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
H&SS requests Board approval of the $331,201 ATR to appropriate a portion of COVID-19 Public Health Crisis Response and the Public Health Workforce Development (WFD) and California Equitable Recovery Initiative (CERI) funds in the H&SS FY2021/22 Budget, with no impact on County General Fund. H&SS will use $182,292 of WFD and $115,430 CERI funds for the following expenditures in FY2021/22. The remaining unappropriated balance of these two new allocations will be included in the Department’s Requested Budget for FY2022/23. The ATR also reflects a reduction of $33,479 in the use of Public Health Realignment revenue.
The WFD allocation will fund two new limited-term positions and one existing unfunded position for a total of $182,292 in FY2021/22:
• Add 2.0 FTE Public Health Nurse LT - $101,720
• Add 1.0 FTE Public Health Microbiologist - $44,693
• 1.0 FTE Administrative Secretary - $35,879
The CERI allocation will fund the following two new limited-term positions in FY2021/22 for a total of $115,430:
• Add 2.0 FTE Health Education Specialist - $115,430
Additionally, COVID-19 Epidemiology, Laboratory and Capacity Enhancing Detection Expansion funds, currently appropriated in the H&SS FY2021/22 Adopted Budget, will fund one new limited-term position and a contract with Redwood Community Health Coalition for a total of $341,182, with no impact on County General Fund. No ATR is needed for the following items:
• Add 1.0 FTE Project Manager LT - $66,182
• Redwood Community Health Coalition contract - $275,000
The costs associated with preparing the agenda item are nominal and absorbed by the H&SS FY2021/22 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION:
On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-2) was signed into law. The Act provides additional relief to address the continued impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the economy; public health; state, tribal, local, and territorial governments; individuals; and businesses. To support the governmental public health response to COVID-19, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is activating Public Health Workforce Development Supplemental funding through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) National Initiative to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities Among Populations at High-Risk and Underserved, Including Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations and Rural Communities is also funding activities to advance health equity. These funds aim at implementing one or more of four distinct CDC strategies that collectively build upon current investments, and better position California to meet COVID-19 response and recovery. These funds also support governmental public health response needs over the next 24 months and allow the State to prioritize and target resources to those most vulnerable to the impacts of the pandemic. The four CDC strategies are:
1) Expand existing and/or develop new mitigation and prevention resources and services to reduce COVID-19 related disparities among populations at higher risk and that are underserved.
2) Increase/improve data collection and reporting for populations experiencing a disproportionate burden of COVID-19 infection, severe illness, and death to guide the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
3) Build, leverage, and expand infrastructure support for COVID-19 prevention and control among populations that are at higher risk and underserved.
4) Mobilize partners and collaborators to advance health equity and address social determinants of heath as they relate to COVID-19 health disparities among populations at higher risk and that are underserved.
These new funding sources from the California Department of Public Health will support efforts to respond to the current COVID-19 pandemic and future public health emergencies, including but not limited to:
• Forming partnerships with academic institutions, creating student internship or fellowship opportunities, and building graduation-to-workforce pipelines
• Establishing partnerships with schools of public health, technical and administrative schools, and social services and social science programs
• Expanding personnel to respond to the pandemic with this funding. These positions will assist with meeting the goals in the work plans, including expansion of public health workforce, support for COVID-19 outreach and education, and administrative oversight of related revenue contracts with the CDPH and service contracts with community-based organizations. Solano Public Health is requesting approval to amend the List of Numbers and Classifications with the following limited-term positions through June 30, 2023:
o Add 2.0 FTE Public Health Nurses (LT)
o Add 2.0 FTE Health Education Specialists (LT)
o Add 1.0 FTE Public Microbiologist (LT)
• Supporting equity staff positions and engage in equity-focused organizational capacity building activities such as equity trainings, embedding equity in organizational policy, and community engagement
• Conducting an equity-focused organizational capacity assessment
• Contributing to the Statewide Health Equity Plan
• Participating in learning community and convenings with other jurisdictions; and
• Implementing targeted local equity activities (e.g., establishing multisector teams to address community needs, equity action plans, and engaging disproportionately impacted communities)
Additionally, existing Epidemiology, Laboratory and Capacity (ELC) grant funding will continue to support current COVID-19 pandemic response efforts and future public health emergencies, including but not limited to:
• Expanding personnel to respond to the pandemic: with this funding, Solano Public Health is requesting approval to amend the Position Allocation List to add 1.0 FTE Project Manager (LT) through June 30, 2023. This position will assist with meeting the goals in the work plans including expansion of public health workforce, support for COVID-19 outreach and education, and administrative oversight of related revenue contracts with the California Department of Public Health and service contracts with community-based organizations.
• Funding community based organizations to address health equity issues in Solano County during the pandemic and future emergencies: With the Board’s approval, Solano Pubic Health contract with Redwood Community Health Coalition to develop an outreach program and subcontract with community health centers, including La Clinica, Ole Health and Community Medical Center, to implement the community outreach worker program to conduct outreach and education to hard to reach populations, providing them education about COVID-19 and how to prevent its spread, and building trust with the community around vaccination and boosters.
Solano Public Health will work with the Healthy Solano Collaborative to develop metrics to measure outcomes for these funding streams related to outreach and education efforts to high-risk communities, increased vaccination services for hard to reach and high-risk populations including communities with high Medi-Cal and unvaccinated populations, and school partnerships to increase vaccination among high-risk students and families.
With the Board’s approval of these requests, Solano Public Health will expand its efforts to respond to COVID-19 in Solano County and address health disparities that persist in high-risk communities.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to authorize acceptance of the allocations, approve the Appropriation Transfer Request for FY2021/22, adopt the resolution amending the List of Classifications and Numbers, and approve the contract with Redwood Community Health Coalition. This is not recommended because Solano County has an opportunity to increase capacity of the public health system to equitably respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as future emergencies.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Health and Social Services, Public Health Division worked with California Department of Public Health, County Counsel, County Administrator’s Office, Healthy Solano Collaborative, Solano County HealthCare and Emergency Medical Services Partners, and others on the development of the work plans.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION