COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Health Services Agency

DATE:

March 18, 2004

BOARD MEETING DATE:

April 6, 2004

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Margaret Taylor, Director of Health Services

Brian Zamora, Director of Public Health and Environmental Protection

SUBJECT:

Agreement with the City of Berkeley Health and Human Services Department

Recommendation

Adopt a resolution authorizing the President of the Board to execute an agreement with the City of Berkeley Health and Human Services Department.

Background

Physical inactivity is one of the greatest health risks for mid-life and older adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 78% of adults over age 50 are at risk for health problems related to lack of regular and sustained physical activity. Research does show however, that people over age 50 who incorporate physical activity into their daily lives tend to live longer and have a better overall quality of life.

In February of 2002, staff from the San Mateo County Health Services Agency Public Health and Environmental Protection Division began working with staff from the City of Berkeley Health and Human Services Department to seek the "Active for Life" grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJ). Because both San Mateo County and the City of Berkeley were involved with UCSF in an RWJ-funded grant to evaluate older adult physical activity projects in 2001 and 2002, the UCSF Project Investigator recommended the joint San Mateo County and City of Berkeley proposal. The City of Berkeley staff was instrumental in writing both the letter of intent and the grant proposal. As a part of the proposal, the City of Berkeley staff agreed to be responsible for recruiting roughly one third of the participants in the Program.

Discussion

In late 2002, RWJ awarded the San Mateo County Health Services Agency an "Active for Life" grant totaling $972,460 for the period of January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2006. This grant will provide outreach and education services to 1,000 older adults living within the County of San Mateo and the City of Berkeley. The terms of the grant specified the City of Berkeley as a partner in the Active for Life program.

The City of Berkeley Health & Human Services staff will be charged with recruiting 330 of these adults over the four-year period to participate in the Active for Life Program to promote physical activity for older adults. In addition, Berkeley staff will also serve an integral role on the Active for Life Steering Committee. Berkeley's participation in the project, especially its outreach and education efforts with the African-American community, will assist in meeting the grant's requirement of reaching ethnic minorities throughout the City Berkeley and San Mateo County.

Vision Alignment

The agreement with the City of Berkeley Health and Human Services Department keeps the commitment of "Leaders work together across boundaries to preserve and enhance our quality of life" and goal number 23: Leaders throughout the County provide the impetus for broader regional solutions in land use, housing, childcare, education, health and transportation. The agreement contributes to this commitment and goal by providing a means to develop a program that eventually can be implemented throughout the Bay Area in order to enhance the quality of life for older adults.

Fiscal Impact

The agreement is in the amount of $294,000 for the period February 1, 2003 through December 31, 2006, covering five fiscal years. Expenditures and revenues in the amounts of $37,500 for FY 2002-03 and $80,000 for FY 2003-04 have been included in Public Health's approved budgets. For subsequent fiscal years, contract amounts and an equal amount of revenue will be budgeted as follows: $85,000 for FY 2004-05; $67,000 for FY 2005-06; and $24,500 for FY 2006-07. There is no net County cost associated with this agreement.