COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Health Department

DATE:

May 27, 2005

BOARD MEETING DATE:

June 21, 2005

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Four-fifths

TO

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM

Charlene Silva, Director of Health Services

Thomas F. Casey III, County Counsel

Brian Zamora, Director of Public Health and Environmental Protection

Scott Morrow, M.D., M.P.H., Health Officer

SUBJECT

California Department of Health Services (CDHS) Bioterrorism Grant

RECOMMENDATION

A)

Adopt a resolution:

1

Authorizing the President of the Board to sign a grant agreement with the California Department of Health Services (CDHS) for Bioterrorism Preparedness for the term of July 1, 2004 – August 30, 2005, for the amount of $1,383,448.

2

Authorizing County Counsel to make payments to other jurisdictions for assistance in developing a Bioterrorism Practice Guide.

B)

Approve an Appropriation Transfer Request (ATR) increasing revenues and expenses by $221,354.

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Ensuring basic health and safety for all.

Goals 7: Maintain and enhance the public safety of all residents and visitors.

This grant and ATR contributes to this goal by providing funding for the Health Officer and County Counsel to develop policies and procedures related to bioterrorism preparedness and response as well addressing other emerging public health threats for San Mateo County.

Background

At the federal, state and local levels, a number of activities supporting our disaster and terrorism preparedness have occurred since our nation was attacked in September and October of 2001. The Federal Government recognizes that the nation’s Public Health infrastructure has badly deteriorated over the last thirty years and that the decay of this infrastructure has lead to a national security risk. In response, funds have been made available for the enhancement of the nation’s Public Health infrastructure for disaster response that will be able to respond to the threats of the 21^st century.

For the past three years, your Board has approved the resolutions to allow the Health Services Agency to receive funding from CDHS for Bioterrorism Preparedness. Under this year’s agreement, which was approved by your Board on October 5, 2004, the Health Department will continue working on six key areas: general bioterrorism planning, epidemiological and disease surveillance enhancements, public health lab improvements, technological improvements, development of a comprehensive risk communication plan, and increased training for public health and clinical staff.

DISCUSSION

This grant agreement with the State incorporates the current year plan and allows for additional planning activities. County Counsel will develop, in cooperation with the health officers and county counsels of other California counties, a practice guide on public health law applicable to outbreaks of communicable, contagious or infectious disease resulting from acts or suspected acts of bioterrorism.

The guide will be made available to state and local health departments in both printed and web-based formats. The practice guideline will include a legal analysis and templates for isolation and quarantine of individuals and large groups or geographic areas, ordering of examination and treatment, work/school exclusion notices, mass decontamination, commandeering private and public property and private citizens/medical volunteers, disinfection/destruction of property, rationing food, water, medicines, curfews, standing orders for early control of a situation, procedures for obtaining regulatory relief for hospitals during times of high census, and releasing information to the media

County Counsel will share the $221,354 with other County Counsel offices that are helping to develop the practice guide. County Counsel and Risk Management have reviewed this contract. This contract is late due to a period of extended negotiation with the State Department of Health Services.

FISCAL IMPACT

The grant award for the period July 1, 2004 through August 30, 2005 is $1,383,448. The Public Health budget for 2004-05 includes $1,162,094 in revenue and expenses. An ATR has been prepared to increase the budgets for Public Health and the County Counsel’s Office for 2004-05 in the amount of $221,354 to cover additional planning activities. There is no net county cost associated with this agreement.