To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS: Public Health
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
First Amendment to the Health Officer Agreement for Fiscal Years (FY) 2019-20 and 2020-21
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve and authorize the Chair of the Board to execute the attached First Amendment to the Health Officer Agreement with Teresa Frankovich, M.D. increasing the position from a 0.70 full-time equivalent (FTE) to 1.0 FTE for the remainder of FY 2019-20 and FY 2020-21; and
2. Direct the Clerk of the Board to return the agreement to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) - Contract Unit for forwarding to DHHS - Employee Services.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Public Health Fund
DISCUSSION:
Pursuant to Health and Safety Code section 101000 and Government Code section 24000, subdivision (s), counties are required to maintain a Health Officer. The Health Officer is required to enforce and observe 1) Board orders and ordinances pertaining to public health matters, quarantines and regulations; 2) orders, including quarantine and other regulations prescribed by the California Department of Public Health; and 3) statutes relating to public health. The Health Officer is further required to implement measures to prevent the spread of communicable diseases such as tuberculosis and newly emerging diseases such as novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
On Dec. 10, 2019, your Board approved the selection of Teresa Frankovich, M.D. as the Health Officer for Humboldt County. On Jan. 28, 2020, your Board approved an agreement with Dr. Frankovich for Health Officer services.
Given Humboldt County’s population size and the health outcomes reflected in the 2018 Community Health Assessment, DHHS - Public Health staff has identified the need for a full-time Health Officer and anticipated increasing the position from 0.70 full-time equivalent (FTE) to 1.0 FTE beginning the FY 2020-21 via the county budget process for FY 2020-21. Given the current outbreak of COVID-19, the need for a full-time Health Officer has become an immediate, urgent need.
This first amendment before your Board today increases the Health Officer position from the current 0.70 FTE to a 1.0 FTE position for the remainder of the original agreement effective immediately, and will remain ongoing full-time as previously planned.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The Health Officer, position 400-0840-01, was originally budgeted at 0.70 FTE in the FY 2019-20 county budget. Approval of the first amendment to increase the Health Officer’s time from 0.70 FTE to 1.0 FTE will result in an increased cost of $32,560 for salaries and benefits in Fund 1175, Budget Unit 400, Public Health Administration for the remainder of FY 2019-20. There are sufficient budget appropriations funded by Public Health Realignment available in the Public Health Administration budget to cover the increase in personnel costs for this position in FY 2019-20.
The increase in FTE will be included in the FY 2020-21 county budget process. The anticipated increase in cost is $79,523 in salaries and benefits. The increase for FY 2020-21 will be directly supported through Public Health Realignment.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports your Board’s Strategic Framework by providing community-appropriate levels of service and protecting vulnerable populations.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
N/A
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Your Board may choose not to approve the first amendment. However, this is not recommended as it would not allow the Health Officer to be compensated for time necessary to provide community-appropriate levels of service.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. First Amendment to the Health Officer Agreement
2. Original Health Officer Agreement for Services between County of Humboldt and Teresa Frankovich, M.D.
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: K-6, C-14
Meeting of: 12/10/19, 1/28/20
File No.: 19-1782, 20-285