REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
SITTING AS THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE FOLLOWING:
THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF THE FOLLOWING:
THE INLAND COUNTIES EMERGENCY MEDICAL AGENCY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
August 25, 2020
FROM
GARY McBRIDE, Chief Executive Officer, County Administrative Office
SUBJECT
Title
Ratification Actions in Response to the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Ratify the Chief Executive Officer’s exercise of the authority granted to him by the Board of Supervisors initially on March 24, 2020 (Item No. 67), and extended on May 19, 2020 (Item No. 105), June 23, 2020 (Item No. 124), and July 28, 2020 (Item No. 72), in approving the following actions in response to the worldwide health threat related to the Novel Coronavirus, or COVID-19:
1. Acting as the governing body of the County of San Bernardino, approve the submission of a Distance Learning Grant Program funding application in the amount of $356,136 by the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator to the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, in the amount of $356,136, for the period of October 15, 2020 through June 30, 2021, to develop and facilitate a training program, and increase access to training using distance-learning technologies, approved by the Chief Executive Officer on August 3, 2020
2. Acting as the governing body of the County of San Bernardino, approve Department of Public Health’s amended grant award, Amendment No. 2 to County Agreement No. 19-605 (State Agreement No. 19-10180) with California Department of Public Health, increasing the amount by $922,558 in COVID-19 funds, from $38,009,308 to $38,931,866, for continued support of the Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program, with no change to the approved term of October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2022, approved by the Chief Executive Officer on August 3, 2020.
3. Acting as the governing body of the Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency, accept and approve COVID-19 Hospital Preparedness Program Supplemental Funding Agreement No. 20-631 (Award No. COVID-19-3602) in the amount of $156,974 from the State of California, Department of Public Health, Emergency Preparedness Office to support and prepare health care coalitions and other health care entities to identify, isolate, assess, transport, and treat patients with COVID-19 or persons under investigation for COVID-19, for the period commencing as of March 28, 2020 through June 30, 2021, approved by the Chief Executive Officer on July 28, 2020.
4. Acting as the governing body of the Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency, accept and approve COVID-19 Hospital Preparedness Program Supplemental Funding Agreement No. 20-632 (Award No. COVID-19-6002) in the amount of $56,127 from the State of California, Department of Public Health, Emergency Preparedness Office for patient coordination and transportation planning, for the period commencing as of March 28, 2020 through June 30, 2021, approved by the Chief Executive Officer on July 28, 2020.
5. Direct the County Administrative Office to transmit all executed documents relating to the recommendations above to the Clerk of the Board within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Gary McBride, Chief Executive Officer, 387-5417)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Create, Maintain and Grow Jobs and Economic Value in the County.
Improve County Government Operations.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of the recommendations will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost), as detailed below. Sufficient appropriation, if necessary, as detailed below, will be included in the respective department's future recommended budgets.
Recommendation No. 1
Approval of this recommendation will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The grant, in the amount of $356,136, will fund the purchase of equipment, materials, services and staff salaries to facilitate distance-learning programs at the Sheriff’s Training Academy. If awarded, the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator (Department) will return to the Board of Supervisors (Board) to request acceptance of the grant award, and may request budget adjustments, if necessary, as part of a future quarterly budget report. This grant does not require a County match.
Recommendation No. 2
Approval of this recommendation will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net
County Cost). The increase of $922,558 to the grant award for the Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition (WIC) Program from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) does not require a match. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Department of Public Health’s (DPH) 2020-21 budget.
Recommendations No. 3 and 4
Approval of the recommendations will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost) as the agreements will provide funding for expenses related to COVID-19, including isolation, assessment, transport, transportation planning, and/or treatment for patients with COVID-19, or those who may have COVID-19. Approval of the necessary budget adjustments to the Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency (ICEMA) 2020-21 budget is not requested at this time, but will be included on a future quarterly countywide budget report presented to the Board for approval.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The COVID-19 virus originated in Wuhan, China in late 2019 and began spreading, initially, within China and then to other countries. On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak to be a “public health emergency of international concern”. This was followed on January 31, 2020 by the United States Human Services Secretary declaring a public health emergency. Cases internationally, within the US and within California (as evidenced by the Governor’s Proclamation) continue to rise.
On March 4, 2020, the State of California declared a state of emergency as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak due to the rising number of confirmed cases and anticipated complications for those infected, including potential deaths. On March 10, 2020, the County Public Health Officer declared a local health emergency to help ensure county government and the public were prepared for the possibility that COVID-19 would appear within the county. On March 10, 2020 (Item No. 75), the Board proclaimed the existence of a local emergency within San Bernardino County resulting from COVID-19, which causes infectious disease resulting in symptoms of fever, coughing and shortness of breath with outcomes ranging from mild to severe illness and in some cases, death.
In order to promote a coordinated and efficient response to needs that may arise from the COVID-19 pandemic, on March 24, 2020 (Item No. 67), the Board authorized the CEO to execute or approve various actions related to purchases, contracts, donations, budget, including the approval of adoption of resolutions, through May 31, 2020, subject to ratification by the Board at the next available Board meeting. Due to the continued threat of COVID-19, on May 19, 2020 (Item No. 105) and later on June 23, 2020 (Item No. 124) and July 28, 2020 (Item No. 72), the Board extended this authority of the CEO through June 30, 2020, July 31, 2020, and August 31, 2020, respectively, subject to ratification by the Board at the next available Board meeting. The recommended actions will ratify the authority exercised by the CEO.
Recommendation No. 1
The California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) developed the Distance Learning Grant Program (Program) pursuant to the California State Budget Act of 2020. POST allocated $5,000,000 for grants and administration of the Program. The Program will provide governmental entities and non-profit law enforcement educational institutions with funding to provide high-quality training using distance-learning technologies.
As a POST certified Regional Training Center, the Department provides Law Enforcement mandated training and instructor courses, in-house, thus avoiding the cost of sending staff to offsite trainings. Additionally, the Department receives revenue for providing the training to outside law enforcement agencies, which is contingent upon the number of students enrolled in these courses. The Department is applying for $356,136 to fund projects in the following five areas ($71,227.20 per project): Use of Force and De-escalation; Implicit Bias and Racial Profiling; Community Policing; Cultural Diversity; and Organizational Wellness. The Department will use the funding to purchase equipment, services, and other materials to set up virtual, or on-line, classrooms to provide virtual training for its staff and other law enforcement agencies in the state. The established virtual classrooms will be utilized after the grant period ends, allowing for the continuation of remote training when outside factors, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, make in-person training impractical or unsafe. All five projects were submitted under the same application, however, the number of selected projects for funding is dependent on scoring by POST.
County Counsel reviewed the grant application and it was signed by the CEO on August 3, 2020.
Recommendation No. 2
The WIC Program provides a number of services including breastfeeding information and support, nutrition education, and WIC food checks to purchase specific food selected for its nutrient content. DPH uses WIC funding to provide nutrition education and supplemental foods to an allocated monthly caseload of 58,540 individuals countywide. DPH will use the increase in WIC funding to purchase laptops, cell phones, sanitation office supplies, personal protective equipment, distancing barriers, and disinfectant services for DPH staff, in order to continue and maintain WIC services with appropriate social distancing measures.
On September 10, 2019 (Item No. 42), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved the grant award for continued support of the WIC Program, in the amount of $38,007,090, for the period of October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2022. In addition, this item authorized the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, or the DPH Director to execute any subsequent non-substantive amendments to the grant award, on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
DPH requested an amendment to the WIC grant award due to additional available funding and to make adjustments to budget categories to align with DPH’s current scope of work. On January 14, 2020, CDPH approved DPH’s request to amend the WIC grant award, increasing the amount by $2,218, from $38,007,090 to $38,009,308, with no change to the approved term of October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2022. On February 11, 2020 (Item No. 52), the Board accepted the grant award increasing the amount by $2,218, from $38,007,090 to $38,009,308, with no change to the approved term of October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2022.
On July 20, 2020, CDPH provided an opportunity to initiate a grant award amendment to the Federal Fiscal Year 2020 contract to include additional COVID-19 funds, funds to support the recently implemented Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) management information system or WIC Web Information System Exchange (WIC-WISE), and to make adjustments to budget categories to align with DPH’s current scope of work. This request would increase the amount by $922,558, from $38,009,308 to $38,931,866, with no change to the approved term of October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2022. The additional $922,558 must be expended by the end of the current Federal Fiscal Year, on September 30, 2020.
County Counsel has reviewed the Amendment and it was signed by the CEO on August 3, 2020.
Recommendations No. 3 and 4
ICEMA, as the local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agency (LEMSA), is responsible for ensuring effective EMS for the Counties of San Bernardino, Inyo, and Mono. ICEMA administers State and local codes and regulations governing the provision of emergency medical care to the sick and injured at the scene of an emergency and during transport to a care hospital, and is one of the five multi-county LEMSAs in the State of California.
On July 7, 2020, the State of California, Department of Public Health (CDPH), Emergency Preparedness Office (EPO), notified ICEMA of supplemental federal grant funding to support the health care preparedness and response activities of hospitals, health systems, and health care workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic for the period commencing as of March 28, 2020 through June 30, 2021. Approval of Recommendation No. 3 will accept $156,974 in supplemental funding to support and prepare health care coalitions and other health care entities to identify, isolate, assess, transport, and treat patients with COVID-19 or persons under investigation for COVID-19. Approval of Recommendation No. 4 will accept $56,127 in supplemental funding for COVID-19 patient coordination and transportation planning. Under Agreement No. 20-632 (Award No. COVID-19-6002), all LEMSAs, whether they are single-county or multi-county, are expected to utilize their funding for the same health care preparedness and response activities, regardless of the number of counties under their jurisdiction. County Counsel has reviewed both Agreements and they were signed by the CEO on July 28, 2020.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Penny Alexander-Kelley, Chief Assistant County Counsel, 387-5455; John Tubbs, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455; Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455; and Richard D. Luczak, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 17, 2020; Human Services Contracts (Jennifer Mulhall-Daudel, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on August 10, 2020; Finance (Stephenie Shea, Administrative Analyst, 387-4919; Carl Lofton, Administrative Analyst, 387-5404; Carolina Mendoza, Administrative Analyst, 387-0294; and Paul Garcia, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on August 14, 2020; and Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on August 14, 2020.