COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

San Mateo Medical Center

DATE:

March 13, 2003

BOARD MEETING DATE:

April 8, 2003

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Nancy J. Steiger, Chief Executive Officer

SUBJECT:

Amendment to the Agreement with South County Community Health Center

Recommendation

Adopt a resolution authorizing the President of the Board to execute an amendment to the agreement with South County Community Health Center to participate in and provide leadership for the San Mateo Medical Center HIV Early Intervention Services Planning Project.

Background

Funds provided to the County by the federal government through the Ryan White CARE Act, Titles I and II have enabled the County to establish a high level of HIV medical care at the Edison Clinic at the San Mateo Medical Center, but have not been sufficient to cover the cost of supporting that level of care throughout the county, especially in the South County area. Current federal resources for HIV care received by the County are insufficient to meet the increasing medical care needs of a growing population living with HIV and AIDS countywide, especially among Latino and other minority communities.

In order to complete the planning process, the Medical Center submitted a proposal in response to a "Request for Proposals" for the Ryan White CARE Act Title III HIV Planning and Capacity Building Grant Program, issued in Spring 2002 by HRSA. The proposal focused on the South County area and Latino people with HIV. On September 1, 2002, HRSA notified the County that the proposal had been favorably reviewed and the grant awarded. The County will receive $50,000 for this one-year project. On October 29, 2002, you approved a resolution acknowledging receipt of this grant.

Discussion

This award will make it possible for the County to complete development of a plan for outpatient HIV early intervention services for low-income, medically underserved people in the County's existing primary care system. It specifically will focus on serving the Latino community, but will incorporate the needs of people from other minority communities living with HIV in the South County area, as well. If this planning project is successful, the County will be eligible in the following year to apply for Title III funds from HRSA to implement a system of HIV Early Intervention Services (EIS) in South County.

Through this amendment, the Medical Center is enhancing an existing contract with the South County Community Health Center, which was written into the federal grant as the collaborating partner because they are the County's primary partner in providing health care in this community and have experience with the service population for this project. This amendment will provide them with $15,000 of this funding for community organizing and planning activities, as well as preparing for enhanced service implementation, as part of the HIV Early Intervention Services Planning Project.

Vision Alignment

This Amendment to the Agreement with South County Community Health Center for the Ryan White Title III HIV Early Intervention Services Planning Project reflects the County's commitment to ensure basic health and safety for all, along with goal number 8: Help vulnerable people - the aged, disabled, mentally ill, at-risk youth and others - achieve a better quality of life. The Amendment contributes to this commitment and goal by allocating $15,000 to the South County Community Health Center to collaborate with the San Mateo Medical Center in planning for improved medical care and related services for disadvantaged people of color living with HIV in the southern part of the county.

Fiscal Impact

This amendment increases the maximum amount of the agreement with South County Community Health Center by $15,000, from $87,000 to $102,000. The term of the agreement remains the same, from November 15, 2001 to June 30, 2003.

The funds for this amendment come entirely from the Ryan White Title III Early Intervention Services Planning grant awarded by HRSA to the County for this fiscal year and added as unanticipated revenue to the budget of the Medical Center. There is no net county cost associated with amendment.