DATE: August 23, 2022
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: David Luchini, RN, PHN, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT: Retroactive First Amendment to Revenue Agreement with Fresno County Superintendent of Schools
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a retroactive First Amendment to Revenue Agreement with Fresno County Superintendent of Schools for the Early Care and Education - Early Stars Program for trainings and technical assistance on health and safety standards at early childhood education sites, extending the term by one year from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 and increasing the maximum by $340,000 to a total of $945,200.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. Approval of the recommended action will provide the Department of Public Health (Department) with an additional one year of funding from Fresno County Superintendent of Schools (FCSS) to support the Early Care and Education - Early Stars Program. The program provides training, consultation and technical assistance on health and safety policies and procedures which are standard to early childhood education sites enrolled in the Early Stars Program. The funding will support salary and benefits for two Public Health Nurses (PHNs). This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There are no viable alternative actions. Should your Board not approve the recommended action, the Department would be unable to fund the services provided to Early Stars Program.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The recommended amendment is retroactive to July 1, 2022. The recommended amendment was received from FCSS on June 10, 2022. The Department reviewed and requested additional modifications to the amendment, which was finalized on July 7, 2022. The time required to prepare the recommended amendment did not allow presentation to your Board at an earlier date.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The amendment will provide an additional $340,000 for a maximum amount of the three-year revenue agreement of $945,200. The allocation covers salary and benefit costs for two PHNs and indirect cost recovery of 15% ($40,923) of total personnel costs. The Department’s current indirect cost rate is 18.816%; Health Realignment will cover the 3.816% difference ($10,411). Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 5620 FY 2022-23 Recommended Budget.
DISCUSSION:
On March 26, 2019, your Board approved an agreement with FCSS that allowed Department PHNs to continue connecting County families with high quality licensed care while supporting education providers in their efforts for continuous quality improvement of services.
On April 13, 2021, your Board approved a retroactive revenue agreement with FCSS for the Early Care and Education - Early Stars Program (Early Stars Program) regarding trainings and technical assistance on health and safety standards at early childhood education sites. In partnership with the Department, Central Valley Children’s Services Network, and WestEd’s Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC), FCSS developed the Fresno County Training and Technical Assistance (T&TA) Hub to provide coaching, training, technical assistance and assessments to childcare and early learning programs pursuing quality improvement.
The recommended amendment will continue funding two PHNs to provide technical assistance, consultation and training to local childcare and early learning sites enrolled in FCSS’s Early Stars Program while utilizing the T&TA Hub.
In FY 2021-22, the two PHNs assigned to this program achieved the following:
• Coaching and technical assistance on health/safety best practices to 140 child care sites,
• Eight (8) trainings to child care providers on health/safety topics such as COVID-19, medication administration, children with special health care needs, safety and disease prevention, and
• Consultation to child care providers to safely care for children with special needs such as seizures, diabetes, asthma and food allergies so that all children can be included in the child care setting.
The PHNs also assisted in the emergency response to COVID-19 pandemic, fulfilled duties as Leads for various COVID-19 response areas, and completed follow-up with every childcare site that had a positive case. They provided information on COVID-19 testing, cleaning, disinfecting, and ensuring staff and children were isolated and quarantined early. The PHNs also assisted with creating a manual on COVID-19 specifically for Fresno County childcare providers.
Approval of the recommended amendment will allow the Department to continue providing services that address the health and safety issues facing county childcare providers and the families they serve.
Prior to the Agreement expiring, the Department and FCSS agreed that the Agreement was to continue for an additional year through an Amendment.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #46, April 13, 2021
BAI #40, March 26, 2020
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - First Amendment to Agreement with FCSS
CAO ANALYST:
Ron Alexander