COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

County Manager

DATE:

November 22, 2002

BOARD MEETING DATE:

December 17, 2002

   

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Margaret Taylor, Director, Health Services

 

SUBJECT:

San Mateo County Central Labor Council

Community Access Program and Children's Health Initiative Grant Contract

   

Recommendation

Adopt a resolution authorizing the President of the Board to execute an agreement with the San Mateo County Central Labor Council.

 

Background

The San Mateo County Central Labor Council has contracted with the Health Services Agency since May 2001 to participate in efforts of the Community Access program (CAP) to expand health access by integrating health programs and services into a cohesive system of care for the uninsured. Through its Health@Work project, the Labor Council has been successful in creating a formal mechanism to address health and health access issues facing its 60,000 plus members in the various union locals. The Health@Work program has been a vital program responding to needs of low-income working individuals and families who do not have on-going access to health care. The Labor Council has also stepped up as partner in developing innovative strategies to increase health insurance coverage opportunities for its low-income workers and their uninsured children.

Recently, San Mateo County Health Services has coordinated the County's Children's Health Initiative (CHI) using CAP as a springboard for the County's increased focus on outreach and enrollment into insurance programs and universal coverage for kids. As part of CHI, community based outreach and enrollment efforts will be essential component of efforts to reach 100 percent coverage for all children. Over the past several years, the Labor Council has demonstrated its ability to link uninsured children of low-income union members to health insurance.

 

The current agreement with the Labor Council is for the amount of $25,000 for the term July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2003.

 

Discussion

 

In September 2002, the San Mateo County Health Services was awarded a second year of grant funding, which included funding for the San Mateo Central Labor Council Health@Work program to continue expanding work with its union locals. This new agreement with the Central Labor Council supercedes the existing agreement to allow the Labor Council to expand these services. Health@Work objectives for its local union members include: improving the rate of insurance and access to health care; conducting chronic disease management health education "Taking Control of your Health; developing replicable occupational health and safety curriculum; and conducting monthly occupational and health safety trainings targeting workers from five local unions.

At the beginning of November 2002, the Children's Health Initiative Coalition awarded the San Mateo Central Labor Council Health@Work program $30,000 to increase outreach and enrollment activities to uninsured children. Activities include increasing children, youth, and families' awareness, understanding, and perception of Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, and Healthy Kids; planning and organizing at least 2 mass health enrollment events; and assisting in enrolling 450 children into Medi-Cal, Healthy Families and Healthy Kids. As the lead agency for the CHI, Health Services will administer community based outreach and enrollment contracts, including this contract with the Central Labor Council.

 

Performance Measures

2001-02 Actual

2002-03 Objective

Number of children enrolled in Medi-Cal, Healthy Families and Healthy Kids

100

450

Number of children re-enrolled into Medi-Cal or Healthy Families

0*

100

*The Central Labor Council has not been providing this services long enough to have re-enrolled a client yet. Performance will be measured in FY 2002-03.

 

Vision Alignment

The Labor Council contract, as part of CAP and CHI, keeps the commitment of Ensuring Basic Health and Safety for All and goal number 5: Residents have access to health care and preventive care. The Labor Council contributes to this commitment and goal by providing improved access to health care and increased health coverage for all its local union members.

 

Fiscal Impact

The maximum amount of this new agreement is $154,000 for the term July 1, 2002 through November 30, 2003. Costs are completely covered by federal Community Access Program grant ($124,000) from the Health Resources Services Agency and the Children's Health Initiative ($30,000), which is a mix of public and private dollars and funding and expenditures are included in the Health Services Administration FY 2002-03 budget. There is no net county cost associated with this agreement with the Central Labor Council.