To: County of Sonoma Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Department of Health Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Tina Rivera 707-565-4774
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Department of Health Services Agreements with Mendocino County
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Authorize the Director of Health Services, or designee, to execute a memorandum of understanding to provide Public Health Laboratory services to the County of Mendocino and to accept annual revenue in the amount of $100,000 for the first year and increasing each year 3.8%, for a total of $539,469, for the period July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2029.
B) Authorize the Director of Health Services to execute an agreement with the County of Mendocino for the County of Sonoma to continue to provide Emergency Medical Services Agency administration and to accept annual revenue in the amount of $414,836 for the first year; increasing by program costs, but no more than 8% from the prior year, for the period July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2027.
C) Adopt a resolution authorizing budgetary adjustments to the Department of Health Services fiscal year 2024-2025 adopted budget, increasing appropriations in the amount of $100,000 to reflect revenue and expenditures associated with the Public Health Laboratory services Memorandum of Understanding with the County of Mendocino.
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Executive Summary:
The Sonoma County Department of Health Services (hereinafter, “DHS” or “the Department”) seeks Board authorization for two agreements with the County of Mendocino aimed at enhancing public health and emergency medical services (EMS) in the region. The agreements are for Sonoma County to provide public health laboratory services and Emergency Medical Services Agency administration services, to Mendocino County.
Both agreements reflect a strategic partnership between Sonoma and Mendocino counties to optimize resources and expertise, ultimately enhancing public health and emergency response capabilities in the region.
Discussion:
The Department requests Board authorization for two agreements between the County of Sonoma Department of Health Services and the County of Mendocino.
Public Health Lab Testing Services
This item seeks approval of an MOU with the County of Mendocino, under which the County of Sonoma will provide Public Health Laboratory services to Mendocino County. Sonoma County will receive revenue in the amount of $100,000 from Mendocino County for services provided during the first year of the agreement and increasing each fiscal year by 3.8%, for a total of $539,469, for the term of the MOU, from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2029.
The DHS Public Health Laboratory conducts a wide variety of clinical and environmental tests to safeguard the community from communicable diseases and toxic chemicals. Specimens undergo testing for pathogens such as tuberculosis, syphilis, tick-borne diseases, food-borne illnesses, whooping cough, influenza, rabies, and other illnesses.
California counties often collaborate regionally to bolster public health protection by sharing essential laboratory resources. As part of the regional relationship with Mendocino County, Sonoma County provides routine and surge capacity testing and analysis for all mandatory reportable diseases, including COVID-19, supports public health investigations, and maintains accreditations. The County of Sonoma has provided laboratory services to Mendocino County from 2015 through 2020. Mendocino County secured laboratory services from Solano County in January 2021. The proposed agreement will allow for Sonoma County to resume providing service to Mendocino County effective July 1, 2024.
Provision & Oversight of Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
Per State law, the County of Sonoma EMS Agency, known as the Coastal Valleys EMS Agency (CVEMSA), oversees and regulates the local EMS system. The Sonoma County Department of Health Services, designated by the Board of Supervisors as the local EMS Agency for Sonoma County, is authorized to enter agreements/MOUs for EMS administrative services with Mendocino County.
Under the Mendocino County MOU, CVEMSA staff will perform EMS administrative functions such as medical control and oversight, personnel certification and accreditation, approval and oversight of base hospitals, authorization of advanced life support programs, authorization of EMS education training programs, authorization and oversight of Continuing Education Provider programs and maintenance of the Mendocino County portion of the regional hospital communications system. Mendocino County provides clerical services and necessary supplies to support the Mendocino EMS program office. In exchange for these services, Mendocino County will pay Sonoma County an annual amount of $414,836, increasing by program costs, not more than 8% from the prior year, for the period July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2027. This agreement maintains an existing arrangement between the Counties for CVEMSA to serve as the Local Emergency Medical Services Agency for Mendocino as well as Sonoma.
Lastly, this item requests approval from the Board of Supervisors to enter into these two agreements because both include mutual indemnification provisions, which requires authorization from the Board of Supervisors.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
September 12, 2023, the Board authorized the Director of Health Services to execute an agreement with the County of Mendocino for the County of Sonoma to provide Emergency Medical Services Agency administration through June 30, 2024 and to receive revenue in the amount of $364,780.
November 10, 2020, the Board approved a memorandum of understanding to provide Public Health Laboratory services to the County of Mendocino and to accept revenue in an amount not to exceed $65,323, for the period July 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020.
June 23, 2015 the Board approved a memorandum of understanding to provide Public Health Laboratory services to the County of Mendocino and to accept revenue in an amount not to exceed $589,872 for the period July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2020.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY24-25 Adopted |
FY25-26Projected |
FY26-27Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$414,836 |
$538,600 |
$563,603 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
$100,000 |
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$514,836 |
$538,600 |
$563,603 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
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|
|
|
Fees/Other |
$514,836 |
$538,600 |
$563,603 |
|
Use of Fund Balance |
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General Fund Contingencies |
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|
|
|
Total Sources |
$514,836 |
$538,600 |
$563,603 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
DHS will receive from Mendocino County $100,000 in FY 2024-2025 to administer Emergency Medical Services in Mendocino County increasing each fiscal year by 3.8%, for a total of $539,469, for the term of the MOU. This revenue was not budgeted in the FY 24/25 budget. As such, a budget resolution to appropriate the revenue is proposed with this item.
DHS will also receive from Mendocino County $414,836 in FY 2024-2025 to administer Emergency Medical Services in Mendocino County. Subsequent fiscal years will be adjusted by labor costs with a maximum rate of increase of 8%. Appropriations for this agreement were included in the Board-adopted FY 24-25 budget.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Budget Resolution
Attachment 2 - Lab Services Agreement
Attachment 3 - LEMSA Agreement
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A