To: County of Sonoma Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Department of Health Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Jennifer Solito 707-565-4774
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Recommended Action:
Title
Approve the Appointment of Jennifer Solito in her role as Interim Director of the Department of Health Services, to the Partnership HealthPlan of California Commission County Official seat, for a remaining four-year term effective immediately through May 20, 2028, or until such time that the Department of Health Services returns to the Board with a permanent County Official appointment.
End
Executive Summary:
This item requests Board appointment of Jennifer Solito, in her role as Interim Director of the Department of Health Services (hereinafter, “DHS” or “the Department”), to the Partnership HealthPlan of California Commission, replacing the seat occupied by the previous DHS Director, Tina Rivera, effective immediately through May 20, 2028, or until such time that the Department returns to the Board with a permanent County Official appointment. Per Sonoma County Code, Chapter 34 - County Organized Health System, one of the three Sonoma County representatives on the Partnership HealthPlan of California Commission is to be the Health Services Director or designee.
Discussion:
Partnership HealthPlan of California Commission is a multi-county commission that provides for a managed healthcare plan for Medi-Cal recipients. Implementation of a county organized health system is authorized by Welfare and Institutions Code section 14087.54. In September 2009, the Board of Supervisors of Sonoma County approved an ordinance adding Chapter 34 to the Sonoma County Code, authorizing the County of Sonoma to join the Commission.
The Partnership HealthPlan of California Commission is comprised of representatives from Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Modoc, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo, and Yuba counties and provides coverage to over 650,000 Medi-Cal enrollees, including over 100,000 current Medi-Cal enrollees in Sonoma County.
On January 9, 2024, the Board adopted a resolution amending Chapter 34 of the Sonoma County Code revising the formula used to determine the number of Commission seats per County to align the Sonoma County Code with the Revised Partnership HealthPlan of California Commission Bylaws. The revised formula resulted in the Board approved elimination of one of the four (4) Commission Seats (Hospital Representative) which was vacant at the time, leaving the current makeup of the Sonoma County Partnership HealthPlan of California Commissioner seats as follows:
|
Commission Seat |
Commissioner |
Term |
Since |
|
Clinic Representative |
Kathryn Powell |
5/22/2024-5/21/2028 |
5/22/2012 |
|
County Official |
Tina Rivera |
5/21/2024-5/20/2028 |
5/21/2021 |
|
Public Representative |
Cathryn Couch |
1/1/2021-12/31/2024 |
1/1/2021 |
Partnership HealthPlan of California Commission bylaws and Chapter 34 of the Sonoma County Code permit members to serve multiple terms. In addition, members are allowed to retain their commission seat upon conclusion of their term until a successor member has been selected. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors is responsible for appointing members to the Commission based on the selection process and criteria specified in Chapter 34. The term of office for each seat is four years.
One Commission member seat is dedicated to a County Official, specifically the Director of the Sonoma County Department of Health Services. On August 23, 2024, then DHS Director Tina Rivera left service with the County, thereby rendering this County Official seat vacant. This County Official dedicated seat term expires on May 20, 2028, as reflected in the table above. The Department requests the Board of Supervisors appoint Jennifer Solito, Interim Director of Health Services, to serve in this capacity for a four-year term starting effective immediately, through May 20, 2028, or until such time as the Department returns to the Board to request a more permanent appointment to this County Official seat. Jennifer Solito has not served previously on the Partnership HealthPlan of California Commission.
Prior Board Actions:
On May 14, 2024, the Board 1) adopted a resolution reappointing Kathryn Powell, CEO for Petaluma Health Center, on the Partnership HealthPlan of California Commission for the four-year term of May 22, 2024, through May 21, 2028, and 2) Adopted a resolution reappointing Tina Rivera, Department of Health Services Director, to the Partnership HealthPlan of California Commission for the four-year term of May 21, 2024, through May 20, 2028.
On January 9, 2024, the Board adopted a resolution amending Chapter 34 of the Sonoma County Code to revise the formula used to determine the number of Commission seats per County and to align the Sonoma County Code with the Revised Partnership HealthPlan of California Commission Bylaws.
On July 7, 2021, the Board adopted a resolution appointing Tina Rivera, Interim Health Services Director, to the Partnership HealthPlan of California Commission
On December 15, 2020, the Board adopted a resolution reappointing Cathryn Couch to the Partnership HealthPlan of California Commission for the four-year term of January 1,2021, through December 31, 2024.
On November 10, 2020, the Board adopted a resolution re-appointing Barbie Robinson, Health Services Director, the Partnership HealthPlan of California Commission for the four-year term of November 15, 2020, through November 14, 2024.
On June 9, 2020, the Board adopted a resolution reappointing Kathryn Powell to the Partnership HealthPlan of California Commission for the four-year term of May 22, 2020, through May 21, 2024.
On May 22, 2018, the Board adopted a resolution appointing Mary Kay Brooks to the Partnership HealthPlan of California Commission for the term of May 22, 2018, through May 21, 2022.
Fiscal Summary
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
N/A
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
None.
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None