To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS: Public Health
Agenda Section: Consent
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
SUBJECT:
title
Grant Award from the California Department of Justice Prop 56 and Supplemental Budget (4/5 Vote Required)
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve, and authorize the Department of Health and Human Services - Public Health Director, or a designee thereof, to execute, the agreement with the California Department of Justice to implement tobacco enforcement and education in Humboldt County;
2. Authorize the Department of Health and Human Services - Public Health Director, or a designee thereof, to execute any and all subsequent amendments, and any other agreements, certifications, attestations, and documents directly related, to the attached grant agreement, after review and approval by County Counsel, and Risk Management; and
3. Approve the attached supplemental budget in the amount of $148,693 for FY 2022-2023 for the Department of Health and Human Services - Public Health Fund - Active Transportation Program Budget Unit 1175-414002 (4/5 Vote Required).
4. Direct Auditor-Controller to supplement Fund 1175, per Attachment B.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
California Department of Justice (DOJ)
DISCUSSION:
This funding will allow for additional activities to enforce local ordinances and state laws related to the illegal sale of tobacco products to minors and youth. Activities will include retailer compliance checks, retailer training programs, and the enforcement of flavor ban laws/ordinances, including illegal online sales and marketing, and the use of door-to-door delivery services. A public education media campaign will also occur.
Health Education Specialists from the Healthy Communities division will conduct initial retailer compliance checks and inspections. Follow-up compliance checks for retailers with violations will ensure that violations are corrected within the appropriate timeframe. A compliance check may be based on tips from the public or in collaboration with law enforcement. In years two and three, inspections will be conducted by the Department of Environmental Health on complaint referrals from the public or by Health Education Specialists as they do their yearly education and training. The goal is that every retailer will reach full compliance with applicable tobacco control laws.
Health Education Specialists (HES) will also provide retailer training and technical assistance to assist with adherence to applicable tobacco control laws. More intensive training will be provided to retailers who are found to be out of compliance with applicable local, federal, or state tobacco control laws. The education will be tailored to the specific violations observed during compliance checks and/or licensing inspections. Education will include what is included in the legislation, why tobacco retail regulations are important to community health, a review of their violations, and options to effectively remedy the violations. The intent is to set up amicable partnerships with retailers and become a trusted source of information when they have questions about which products they are allowed to sell, mandatory signage needed, etc. In the second and third years, retailers will be revisited, with a focus on retailers with violations. At the end of the three years, the goal is for the tobacco retailers to have gained enough knowledge to maintain compliance with no violations and to utilize the HES as a continuing resource.
Public education outreach and media campaigns will be utilized to increase awareness of and adherence to applicable state, federal and local tobacco control laws. Staff will use a combination of media such as social media posts, email distributions, postcards/palm cards, press releases, opinion- editorials, TV, radio, and/or online advertising to educate the community on applicable state, federal and local tobacco control laws. Community support will be important in the remote, rural areas of the county. A survey of the general public will be conducted to gauge their level of understanding and awareness of tobacco control laws and will be repeated near the end of the grant period to measure changes in understanding and awareness and to evaluate the effectiveness of the outreach campaign.
The education and enforcement activities that will be conducted under this grant support the Community Health Improvement Plan’s priority area goal to shift social norms around alcohol and other drug use. This fits with the Board’s strategic framework as improved opportunities for health and safety.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
|
Expenditures (1175-414002) |
FY22-23 Added |
FY23-24 Projected |
FY24-25 Projected |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
$148,693 |
$174,233 |
$175,733 |
|
Total Expenditures |
$148,693 |
$174,233 |
$175,733 |
|
Funding Sources (1175-414002) |
FY22-23 Adopted |
FY23-24 Projected* |
FY24-25 Projected* |
|
State/Federal Funds |
$148,693 |
$174,233 |
$175,733 |
|
Total Funding Sources |
$148,693 |
$174,233 |
$175,733 |
*Projected amounts are estimates and are subject to change.
Narrative Explanation of Financial Impact:
Approval of this grant with the DOJ allows DHHS - Public Health to be reimbursed a maximum of $541,793 in fund 1175, Budget Unit 1175-414002 - Active Transportation Program for the period of January 1, 2023, through June 30, 2026. The attached supplemental budget will allow for additional revenue and expenditure appropriations related to the attached grant agreement in FY2022-23 in the amount of $148,693 for the period of July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023. $174,233 will be incorporated into the county budget process for FY 2023-24, $175,733 will be incorporated into the FY 2024-25 budget, and $43,134 will be incorporated into the FY 2025-26 budget.
STAFFING IMPACT:
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impact:
The funding from this grant will be used for current staff working with the Tobacco Free Humboldt program. It will also fully fund health education specialist position # 1175-414-1595-02 that was unfunded for FY 22-23. The estimated cost of this position for the remainder of the FY is $41,607.41. Due to the reduction of Realignment being used for salaries, this will allow for a portion of the Realignment savings to be used for the administrative costs not covered by the grant. This position will be included in the annual budget process for future fiscal years.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports the following areas of your Board’s Strategic Framework.
Core Roles: Create opportunities for improved safety and health
New Initiatives: Seek outside funding sources to benefit Humboldt County needs
Strategic Plan: N/A
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
California Department of Justice
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Your Board may choose not to approve the recommendations; however, it would result in a loss of both funding and services to the County.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Award Letter from the California Department of Justice
2. Memorandum of Understanding
3. Supplemental Budget for Department of Health and Human Services - Active Transportation Program Budget Unit 1175-414002
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: N/A
Meeting of: N/A
File No.: N/A