DATE: December 14, 2021
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: David Luchini, RN, PHN, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT: Retroactive Agreement with Fresno Economic Opportunities
Commission Housing for the Harvest Program
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a retroactive Agreement with Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission Housing for the Harvest program, to provide COVID-19 wraparound services and financial assistance to agricultural and food processing workers in Fresno County, and to be utilized as a COVID-19 Emergency Response if authorized by the Department of Public Health Director, effective April 17, 2021 to June 30, 2022, total not to exceed $3,543,915.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. Approval of the recommended action will allow for the Housing for the Harvest (H4H) program to continue assisting Fresno County in providing COVID-19 services to the agricultural and food processing workers who have tested positive for or are exposed to COVID-19. Approval of the recommended action will also allow for the option to invoke an emergency clause to continue Community Based Organizations (CBOs) COVID response for an estimated three months with existing and interested CBOs. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There is no viable alternative action. Should your Board elect not to approve the recommended action, H4H will not be able to provide COVID-19 wraparound services and financial assistance to Fresno County’s agricultural and food processing workers already disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. In addition, the Department would also not have an option to invoke an emergency clause, if needed, to continue with a CBO COVID response for a limited time while the Department issues a formal RFP.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The recommended agreement is retroactive to April 17, 2021. The Housing for the Harvest services was initially under Purchase Order M02-0000020917. Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission (EOC) and Fresno County Department of Public Health (DPH) discussed termination of the purchase order on April 16, 2021 and continue the H4H program services through an agreement with an expiration date of June 30, 2022. Additional discussions were then made to include health education outreach, isolation and quarantine support, and vaccine clinic support. Due to the length of time required to prepare the agreement and have it reviewed and approved by EOC and DPH, this item is coming to your Board in accordance with the agenda item processing timelines.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. Services were funded by federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding through June 30, 2021 and the remaining term will be funded by State public health grants. The maximum payable under this contract is $3,543,915 with $1,832,408 being utilized for the COVID-19 Emergency Response if authorized by the Department of Public Health Director. There are approximately $299,460 of outstanding invoices pending payment retroactive to April 17, 2021. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 5620 FY 2021-22 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION:
On August 20, 2020, EOC had a purchase order M02-0000020917 with DPH for the H4H program signed by the County Administrative Officer, acting as the Emergency Services Director. The Department is now seeking to continue the services through a new agreement utilizing new State funding, for in-home quarantine, and COVID-19 vaccine services.
On July 24, 2020, Governor Newsom announced the launch of the H4H program to provide safe, temporary isolation, and wraparound services for agricultural workers, including farmworkers, who test positive for or are exposed to COVID-19 in order to limit the spread of the virus. The program operates in partnership with local administrators, which may be county or city agencies, tribes, non-profit organizations, or philanthropic organizations. Local administrators are the primary point of contact for workers in providing wraparound services including transportation, meals, and wellness checks.
On October 19, 2021, DPH and Fresno County Department of Social Services (DSS) entered into Interdepartmental Agreement No. D-21-460 ($196,216) to provide wraparound services offered to participants, expand the H4H program to fund at-home quarantine, and provide direct financial assistance to those quarantining at-home or in hotels. Financial assistance is critical during the pandemic as many agricultural workers have continued working, even while experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, as they cannot afford to lose wages and have no other means to cover basic needs such as food and housing. Some counties previously added at-home quarantine and financial assistance to their local model to support workers’ need. These counties reported that many workers refused in-hotel quarantine support due to having children or other family member dependents at home to care for. The goal of the H4H program will be to support agricultural workers quarantining safely and prevent further workplace and community transmission. The isolation and quarantine supports are aligned with County’s COVID equity community-based organization management of this type of program.
Through September 30, 2021, CBOs providing COVID response under the COVID-19 Equity Project have provided health education and outreach to nearly 28,073 individuals, reached 1,560 households for Isolation Quarantine Support (IQS) support payments, and conducted and/or supported 664 total education/testing/vaccine events. The significant work accomplished by the CBOs in the COVID Equity Project to our vulnerable population in the County was able to improve testing and vaccination in the health equity census tracts and zip codes tracked by the State in accordance with the State’s blueprint. As the CBO COVID response contracts are expiring on December 31, 2021, approval of the recommended agreement by your Board will allow for the option to invoke an emergency clause to continue CBO COVID response from January 1, 2022 to March 30, 2022, while the Department issues a formal RFP.
Upon approval by your Board, the recommended agreement will become retroactive to April 17, 2021 and may be terminated by the County upon providing thirty (30) days advance written notice. The agreement allows the Director to authorize services for a COVID-19 Emergency Response in the County of Fresno if needed. Approval of said services by the DPH Director shall not result in any change to the maximum compensation payable under the recommended agreement, without returning to your Board for approval.
The Department has another agenda item for your Board’s consideration regarding an Agreement with Fresno Metropolitan Ministry under the FCHIP organization to continue the provision of CBO COVID response while ensuring no break in service delivery. If your Board elect not to approve that separate agenda item, the Department Director would invoke the emergency clause to ensure there isn’t a break in services due to CBO COVID response contracts expiring on December 31, 2021. Due to current COVID case trends and projections, if increased past winter, it will be imperative to have a CBO COVID response network placed on January 1, 2022.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Agreement with Fresno EOC Housing for the Harvest
CAO ANALYST:
Ron Alexander