REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
August 22, 2023
FROM
JOSHUA DUGAS, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT
Title
Grant Award Agreement from the California Department of Public Health, Heathcare-Associated Infections Program for the Healthcare-Associated Infections and Infection Prevention Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Accept grant award and approve Agreement (Grant Award Agreement No. 22-11265), from the California Department of Public Health, Healthcare-Associated Infections Program, for the California Nursing Home and Long-Term Care Infrastructure and Preparedness Project, in the amount not to exceed $750,000, for the retroactive period of June 1, 2023 through May 10, 2024.
2. Authorize the Chair of the Board of Supervisors, Chief Executive Officer, or Director of the Department of Public Health to execute and submit Grant Award Agreement No. 22-11265, and subsequent non-substantive amendments, on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Direct the Director of the Department of Public Health to transmit the Agreement and subsequent non-substantive amendments relating to Grant Award Agreement No. 22-11265 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 grant award in the amount not to exceed $750,000 from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Healthcare-Associated Infections Program, for the Communicable Disease Section (CDS) Healthcare-Associated Infections and Infection Prevention (HAIIP) Program does not require a local match. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Department of Public Health’s (DPH) 2023-24 budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The CDPH grant award will allow DPH to continue to enhance the HAIIP Program within CDS to support building the capacity and infrastructure of Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF) and other Long-Term Care Facilities (LTCF) in addressing SARS-CoV-2 and other emerging infectious diseases. This will be done by improving their ability to prevent, detect, and respond to outbreaks of emerging pathogens.
The HAIIP Program conducts disease control and prevention in SNFs and LTCFs by providing training, education, and resources for infection control and prevention; encourage antimicrobial stewardship; improve facility workflows to reduce the spread of infection; ensure that facilities have sufficient supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE), testing supplies for COVID-19 and other related Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms; and access to vaccination opportunities for residents and staff.
The grant award funding will be used to continue trainings and education to SNF and LTCF staff and caregivers on best practices for infection control and prevention. This includes providing training on hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), cleaning and disinfection protocols, conducting and interpreting point of care antigen testing, and proper isolation and quarantine procedures. The training will also cover the latest guidelines and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and CDPH.
The HAIIP Program will strengthen collaboration with existing partners, and aims to cultivate additional multidisciplinary partnerships to improve infection prevention activities. It will include working with facility leadership and infection preventionists to implement strategies for maintaining PPE supply, assisting with creating and testing emergency plans, and providing guidance and resources for addressing staffing shortages or surges.
The HAIIP Program will also work with SNF and LTCF to improve facility workflows and reduce the spread of infection. This includes providing support for the development of infection control policies and procedures, conducting on-site assessments to identify areas for improvement around ventilation and respiratory protection, and providing guidance on best practices for infection control and prevention. Improving the capacity of these facilities enhances their ability to support hospitals as a critical part of the healthcare continuum, helping to reduce the impact of future outbreaks on residents and staff, preventing the spread of infection to the wider community, and helping to address existing health disparities within these facilities.
On February 24, 2023, the County Administrative Office authorized the submission of the grant application to CDPH for the HAIIP Program, in the amount of $750,000.
On July 6, 2023, DPH received the Grant Award Agreement No. 22-11265 from CDPH for the HAIIP Program, in the amount of $750,000, for the retroactive period of June 1, 2023 through May 10, 2024.
Under the terms of Grant Award Agreement No. 22-11265, the County agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the State, its officers, agents, and employees from claims that arises out of the County’s performance of any activities under the grant. This means that if the State is sued for any injury to a third-party caused by DPH’s conduct in the course of performing activities under the grant, the County would be required to pay for the attorney’s fees and costs in defending the State and any resulting settlement/judgment.
DPH recommends delegating authority to the Chair of the Board of Supervisors (Board), Chief Executive Officer, or DPH Director to accept and approve Grant Award Agreement No. 22-11265 and any non-substantive amendments with CDPH. DPH will return to the Board to present any substantive amendments or future grant funds awarded.
This item is being presented at this time, as this is the first available date following the required operational, fiscal, and legal reviews. Approval at this time will not impact services and activities.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, and Charles Phan, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 11, 2023; Finance (Paul Garcia, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on July 31, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on August 7, 2023.