REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
November 15, 2022
FROM
JOSHUA DUGAS, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT
Title
Non-Financial Memorandum of Understanding with California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation/California Correctional Health Care Services for Analysis of Wastewater Samples for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Testing
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve non-financial Memorandum of Understanding (Agreement No. 22-00031) with California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation/California Correctional Health Care Services to coordinate regularly scheduled wastewater sample pickup and specimen transport to the Public Health laboratory in San Bernardino County for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 testing, to be effective upon execution by all parties through October 31, 2023.
2. Designate the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, Chief Executive Officer, or Director of the Department of Public Health to execute any subsequent non-substantive amendments in relation to this Memorandum of Understanding, on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Direct the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, Chief Executive Officer, or Director of the Department of Public Health to transmit all non-substantive amendments in relation to this Memorandum of Understanding 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
The recommended Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is non-financial in nature and, as such, does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Individuals who live in correctional settings are at a high risk of exposure to COVID-19. Jails and prisons have experienced some of the largest single-site outbreaks since the beginning of the pandemic. The COVID Prison Project tracks data and policy across the country to monitor COVID-19 in prisons. As of September 22, 2022 there have been 622,075 COVID-19 cases among incarcerated persons and 229,465 COVID-19 cases among correctional facility staff.
Under the terms of the recommended MOU, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation/California Correctional Health Care Services (CDCR/CCHCS), in collaboration with San Bernardino County Department of Public Health (DPH), will coordinate regularly scheduled wastewater sample pickup and specimen transport from CDCR/CCHCS’ California Institution for Men (CIM) to the Public Health laboratory for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing.
DPH will analyze SARS-CoV-2 viral concentration in the wastewater samples from CIM. This data will be utilized by CDCR/CCHCS’ medical leadership, including the Public Health Deputy Medical Executives and their designees, local county health department staff, and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to facilitate informed decisions about COVID-19 response.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Patty Steven, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on October 18, 2022; County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on October 26, 2022; Finance (Paul Garcia, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on October 26, 2022; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on October 31, 2022.