To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS: Administration
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Public Health Requests to Allocate Regular and Grant Funded Positions and Requests Authorization of a Supplemental Budget (4/5 Vote Required)
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Allocate one full time equivalent (FTE) 1.0 Communicable Disease Investigator I/II regular position (salary range 350/378, class 0524A/B in BU 400;
2. Allocate one FTE 1.0 Epidemiologist regular position (salary range 422, class 0555) in BU 400;
3. Allocate three FTE 1.0 Community Health Outreach Worker I/II grant funded positions (salary range 342/370, class 0511A/B) in BU 400;
4. Allocate one FTE 1.0 Program Coordinator grant funded position (salary range 427, class 1425) in BU 400;
5. Allocate two FTE 1.0 Administrative Analyst I/II regular positions (salary range 387/420, class 0626A/B) in BU 400;
6. Allocate one FTE 1.0 Program Coordinator regular position (salary range 427, class 1425) in BU 400; effective beginning of pay period following approval; and
7. Approve the attached supplemental budget to supplement Fund 1175, Budget Unit 400 - Public Health Administration, Budget Unit 435 - Public Health Laboratory, and Budget Unit 455 - Public Health Emergency Preparedness for Fiscal Year 2020-21 (4/5 vote required).
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Public Health Funds (1175)
DISCUSSION:
On March 17, 2020 (Item K-1), your Board ratified a State of Emergency declared by the Humboldt County Health Officer in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. DHHS - Public Health has been responding to COVID-19 by conducting contact tracing, disease investigation, testing, and engaging in other prevention and control-related activities since the first positive case in Humboldt County in mid-February 2020. The Sheriff’s Office, assigned staff from other county departments, volunteers from community organizations, and individual volunteers have been engaged in response efforts. However, a sustained response to COVID-19 requires additional, dedicated staffing to allow staff from other county departments to return to their regularly assigned duties as needed.
On March 27, 2020 the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law to aid state and local governments in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A portion of this funding was dedicated to supporting activities in mitigating spread of COVID-19, such as increased contact tracing and investigation and increased testing. California Department of Public Health (CDPH) allocated funding $201,536 to DHHS - Public Health, which supports the 1.0 FTE regular Communicable Disease Investigator position requested.
On April 24, 2020, the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act was signed into law. Part of this funding was allocated to allow Public Health departments to expand testing capacity for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases of public health importance, expand testing availability to vulnerable populations who may experience barriers to achieve testing (such as geographical location), and increase support to local healthcare facilities and other high-risk settings surrounding infectious disease prevention and control. CDPH allocated a total of $3,202,899 to DHHS - Public Health. This funding supports the 1.0 FTE regular Epidemiologist, 1.0 FTE grant funded Program Coordinator, two 1.0 FTE regular Administrative Analyst I/IIs and three 1.0 FTE grant funded Community Health Outreach Worker I/II positions. Grant-funded positions are limited to the duration of the funding term, which is effective May 18, 2020 through Nov. 17, 2022. 1.0 FTE regular positions will remain in place beyond grant funding to ensure the Communicable Disease Unit and Public Health Laboratory have ongoing adequate support.
One 1.0 FTE regular Program Coordinator is also included in this request for the Office of Performance Improvement and Accreditation.
A supplemental budget is attached to incorporate the unanticipated funds allocated by CDPH through the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act into the County budget for Fiscal Year 2020-21.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The annual salary and benefits associated with these additional positions related to COVID-19 pandemic response is $617,496.24. The overall estimated increase for the remainder of fiscal year (FY) 2020-21 is $514,580.20. Of these COVID-19 positions, all but one will be funded by CDPH Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act funding. The remaining position, 1.0 FTE Communicable Disease Investigator I/II will be funded by Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity - Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funding. This funding will be included in the First Quarter Report budget adjustments, or in another agenda item.
A supplemental budget to incorporate CDPH Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act funding received is attached to supplement Fund 1175, Budget Unit 455 - Public Health Emergency Preparedness for a total of $1,953,415 in FY 2020-21. Fund 1175, Budget Unit 435 - Public Health Laboratory and Budget Unit 400 - Public Health Administration are supplemented to hold the additional positions, though all salaries will be reimbursed from Fund 1175, Budget Unit 455 - Public Health Emergency Preparedness. The remaining $1,249,484.20 of this grant funding, and additional costs related to these positions will be included during the annual county budgets in future fiscal years.
The allocation of one 1.0 FTE Program Coordinator will cost approximately $63,024.31 for the remainder of FY 2020-21. A 1.0 FTE Program Manager in Fund 1175, Budget Unit 414 in the program will be retiring in December 2020, causing a salary savings of approximately $70,312.99 to offset the additional cost in Fund 1175, Budget Unit 400. This position will be funded by Realignment funding.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports your Board’s Strategic Framework by creating opportunities for improved safety and health and protecting vulnerable populations.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
California Department of Public Health
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Your Board may choose to not allocate the requested positions and not approve the supplemental budget; however, that is not recommended as it would prevent Public Health from providing appropriate response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
ATTACHMENTS:
Supplemental Budget
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: K-1
Meeting of: 03/17/20
File No.: 20-358; 20-1320