DATE: May 21, 2024
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: David Luchini, RN, PHN, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT: First Amendment to the Revenue Agreement with California Department of Public Health for Disease Intervention Specialist Workforce
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute First Amendment to Revenue Agreement (State Agreement No. 21-10553) with the California Department of Public Health, Sexually Transmitted Disease Control Branch, extending the term by one month from December 31, 2025 to January 31, 2026 and reducing the maximum compensation by $505,276 to $757,914.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. Approval of the recommended action will remove the unobligated funds for years four and five and extend the grant term end date for one month so that any unspent funds can be utilized for the continued performance of case management, disease investigation, linkage to care, and other communicable disease prevention services. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There is no viable alternative action. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) will not reimburse the Department for costs above the reduced grant amount.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The funding for years four and five of the grant has been rescinded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but any unspent funds from years one through three will be available through January, 31, 2026.
The existing agreement allows indirect cost recovery up to 25% of salaries and benefits, but the program is maximizing all available funds on direct costs. Health Realignment will cover the grant’s indirect costs at the Department’s full rate of 24.426% for FY 2023-24 and will continue to cover costs in subsequent years. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 5620 FY 2023-24 Adopted Budget and will be requested in subsequent fiscal years.
DISCUSSION:
On April 21, 2022, your Board approved revenue Agreement No. 21-10553 with CDPH to expand, train, and sustain a response-ready disease intervention specialist (DIS) workforce for five years from July 1, 2021 through December 31, 2025. The grant agreement initially provided $1,263,190 in funding for five years from 2021 through 2025 to increase and maintain disease investigation capacity, management and oversight of cases, as well as respond to outbreaks for STDs, HIV, Syphilis, and other communicable diseases by partially or fully funding two to four DIS staff members for the duration of the Agreement.
On June 13, 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rescinded funding for years four and five as part of the Debt Ceiling Bill signed in June 2023, which included rescinding $30 billion of unobligated funds under COVID-19 laws. Therefore, the agreement must be amended to update the budget. Any unspent funds from the first three years will now be available through the new term of the grant.
The recommended amendment does not alter the indemnification language; therefore, it remains as requiring the County to indemnify the State in connection with the performance of the agreement. The grant provides funding for government public health response to COVID-19 and other infectious diseases by supporting activities necessary to expand, train and sustain a response-ready disease intervention specialist (DIS) workforce. Therefore, the department has determined the benefits of the revenue agreement to outweigh any potential risks.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #68, June 21, 2022
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - First Amendment to Agreement with CDPH
CAO ANALYST:
Ron Alexander