REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
November 4, 2025
FROM
JOSHUA DUGAS, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT
Title
Award from the California Department of Public Health for the Refugee Health Assessment Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Accept and approve Award and Agreement (State Award No. 25-36-90899-00) with the California Department of Public Health, for the Refugee Health Assessment Program, to provide health assessments for newly arrived refugees and other eligible entrants in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, for reimbursement of $153.93 per comprehensive health assessment and $29,165 in administrative costs, for the period of October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
(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
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Department of Public Health (DPH) estimates reimbursement under the Refugee Health Assessment Program (RHAP) through the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to be $19,241.25 for an estimated 125 health assessments at a cost of $153.93 per assessment, and $29,165 in administrative costs. There is no local match required for this award. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in DPH’s 2025-26 budget and will be included in the 2026-27 recommended budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Under the direction of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all refugees, asylees, entrants from Haiti and Cuba, federally certified victims of human trafficking, special immigrant visa holders, eligible parolees, and other eligible entrants (refugees) undergo a comprehensive medical screening prior to admission to the United States. The screening is designed to identify applicants with inadmissible health-related conditions or communicable diseases, as designated by the CDC or Presidential Executive Order.
Many refugees have experienced conditions of war, nutritional deprivation, and the loss of home, family, and status. Such stressors can cause feelings of isolation, anxiety, and depression, negatively impacting physical and mental health, and making it more difficult to achieve self-sufficiency. Refugees often arrive in California having little or no access to health care services. Therefore, it is important to provide comprehensive assessment and resources to assist refugees in becoming self-sufficient and to protect public health.
DPH has provided health assessments to newly arrived refugees in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties since 2014. A total of 235 assessments were reported during the period of October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025. The agreement with CDPH will allow DPH to continue protecting the health of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties’ residents by screening newly arrived refugees for inadmissible health-related conditions. Through the agreement, CDPH agrees to reimburse DPH on a fee-for-service basis for completed health assessments, as well as reimburse administrative costs including medical staff costs, interpretation services, data entry, and reporting costs. DPH anticipates completing approximately 125 health assessments during the period of October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, which is a 47% reduction from refugees received last year.
On October 8, 2025, DPH received the RHAP award notice and Agreement (Award No. 25-36-90899-00) from CDPH for reimbursement at $153.93 per completed comprehensive health assessment, and $29,165 for administrative costs, for the period of October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
This item is being presented at this time, as this is the first available date following the required operational, fiscal, and legal reviews. Approval will not impact DPH’s services or activities.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Bonnie Uphold, Supervising Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on October 17, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Iliana Rodriguez, Administrative Analyst, 387-4205) on October 15, 2025.