REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 26, 2024
FROM
JOSHUA DUGAS, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT
Title
Allocation from the California Department of Public Health for the Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention and Collaboration Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Accept allocation (State Agreement No. 24-STI19) from the California Department of Public Health, Sexually Transmitted Diseases Control Branch for the Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention and Collaboration Program, in the amount of $1,785,058, for a two-year period of July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2026.
2. Authorize the Chief Executive Officer or the Director of the Department of Public Health to accept and execute any subsequent non-substantive amendments for the period of July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2026, in relation to the Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention and Collaboration Program (State Agreement No. 24-STI19), subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Authorize the addition of five regular positions for the Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention and Collaboration Program under the following classifications:
a. Communicable Disease Investigator I, Technical and Inspection, R42C ($49,254 - $67,641 annually), four positions.
b. Public Health Project Coordinator, Administrative Services, R60 ($74,963 - $103,313 annually), one position.
4. Direct the Director of the Department of Public Health to transmit all non-substantive amendments for the Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention and Collaboration Program (State Agreement No. 24-STI19), to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Joshua Dugas, Director, 387-9146)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The allocation in the amount of $1,785,058 from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) does not require a match, positions are fully funded through the allocation. The Department of Public Health (DPH) has received this grant funding since 2016. Adequate appropriation and revenue will be included in the DPH 2024-25 recommended budget and future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
DPH’s Communicable Disease Section (CDS) is responsible for tracking and monitoring Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) that arise throughout the county. The California Code of Regulations requires physicians, laboratories, schools, and hospitals to report more than 80 diseases and conditions to DPH. CDS reduces the spread of communicable diseases, including STIs, by investigating reported diseases, implementing control measures, tracking disease trends, and identifying potential sources of disease outbreaks.
CDPH awarded state general funds to local health jurisdictions, to support STI prevention and control activities. This allocation combines two previous programs, the Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) Core Program Management and the STD Prevention and Collaboration program. DPH will use the funds to continue monitoring, preventing, testing, and connecting underserved individuals with an STI (or at high risk of contracting an STI), to treatment and prevention activities. Funding for these programs started in 2016 and is authorized in compliance with California Health and Safety Code Section 120511.
County staff assigned to this program are currently Extra Help staff in non-regular positions. Recommendation No. 4 requests the approval of five regular positions to support this program, which will assist DPH with acquiring and retaining employees. Currently, all other positions in these classifications, assigned to DPH, are regular status. Approving these positions will bring equity to staff serving in these roles. Ongoing funding for these positions is expected, as this program is required per state regulation and funding has been consistent for the last eight years. In the event funding is not issued, DPH will reassign the grant-funded staff to other programs. The Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention and Collaboration Program (Program) provides services for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, congenital syphilis, and mpox (formerly known as monkeypox).
DPH will also use a portion of the funds to partner with DPH Cinic Operations, which is considered a non-profit health care provider, and meets the requirements indicated in the grant details. Clinic Operations will continue to provide STI testing and treatment, whereas the Communicable Disease Section of DPH will continue to monitor outbreaks, locate local cases and partners of individuals testing positive for STIs, provide prevention activities, and connect underserved populations to testing and treatment.
On January 24, 2024, DPH received the allocation notice (State Agreement No. 24-STI19) from CDPH, in the amount of $1,785,058, for the two-year period of July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2026. Grant payments are made annually in the amount of $892,529. DPH is required to submit an annual workplan and a budget for 2024-25 with the acceptance of award to the State by March 29, 2024, and will submit the workplan and budget for 2025-26 next year for the remainder of this allocation.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on March 4, 2024; Human Resources (Gina King, Assistant Director, 387-5560) on March 8, 2024; Finance (Iliana Rodriguez, Administrative Analyst, 387-4205) on March 8, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on March 8, 2024.