DATE: August 4, 2020
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Dawan Utecht, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
David Pomaville, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT: Retroactive Amendment I to Agreement with Health Care Connection for Health Care Management Student Internship Program
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute retroactive Amendment I to Agreement 19-291 with Health Career Connection for a healthcare management student internship program, effective June 1, 2020 with no change to the term of July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2022 ($0).
REPORT
Approval of the recommend action will permit Health Care Connection (HCC) junior and senior year college students to acquire practical knowledge in health care management through a 10-week summer internship program with the Department of Behavioral Health. Participation will be completed without monetary compensation between either party and HCC will ensure possess the required insurance. Department staff will supervise the interns. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board not approve the recommended action, the Department would be unable to offer HCC students an internship placement in health care management.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
Health Care Connection approached the Department of Behavioral Health with this intern opportunity in early April 2020. It was learned that the Department of Public Health had an existing agreement with HCC and research began to determine whether DBH could be added to said agreement. Risk Management and County Counsel were consulted to find out if the provisions of the current agreement met the requirements for an intern working in a behavioral health setting as privacy laws are stricter due to the nature of the service delivery. Additional liability and indemnity requirements were recommended and added to the amendment, however, this conversation progressed past the program start date of June 1, 2020.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action or monetary compensation. If approved, HCC will ensure interns obtain general, automobile and professional liability insurance, as necessary. Department executive staff will supervise the interns.
DISCUSSION:
HCC is a national non-profit organization that recruits, screen, finds, and funds internship placements for college students within health care organizations. Over the past ten years, HCC has placed interns with the Department of Public Health, making it possible for students to field-train in health-care management. HCC refers up to three interns annually for the summer internship program. This amendment will provide students the opportunity to learn about the discipline of Behavioral Health. Interns assist Department programs in providing health education support and planning educational meetings, events, and trainings. In addition, interns will provide support to Department staff with community outreach and in developing, collecting and analyzing survey data. This Amendment shall become effective retroactive June 1, 2020.
This contract does not contain the Commercial General Liability or Workers’ Compensation Insurance clauses required by Risk Management in standard internship agreements between the County and Educational Institutions. Removal of this insurance language does increase County exposure to Liability and Workers’ Compensation claims associated with this contract, and for that reason Risk Management recommended against excluding said insurance language. However, the HCC interns would be teleworking and not on County property completing their internship. In addition, each student will be required to sign an agreement and release of liability form releasing the County from Commercial General Liability or Workers’ Compensation claims, as indicated in Exhibit B of the agreement. The Department of Behavioral Health believes that the benefits of the recommended Agreement outweigh the potential risks because students are able to receive practical and insight into a County behavioral health and public health system of care that serves a diverse community with cultural competency and recommends approval of the agreement. County Counsel reviewed and approved the agreement for legal form but did not opinion as to the insurance terms.
HCC shall ensure that each student who participates in the internship program with the Department of Behavioral Health procures and maintains in force during the term of this agreement or internship, at the students’ sole cost and expense, General Liability Insurance. The policy of General Liability Insurance shall have coverage for sexual harassment and abuse, property damage, bodily injury, and personal injury within stated limits.
If students’ internship is in a discipline that would normally require Professional Liability Insurance, HCC shall ensure that each student procures and maintains in force during the term of the internship, at students’ sole cost and expense, Professional Liability Insurance in amounts reasonably necessary to protect the student against liability arising from any and all negligent acts or incident caused by the student.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #51, June 18, 2019
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Amendment I to Agreement 19-291 with HCC
Agreement and Release of Liability - Exhibit B
CAO ANALYST:
Ronald Alexander