COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Health Department

DATE:

BOARD MEETING DATE:

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Charlene A. Silva, Director, Health Department

SaraT L. Mayer, Director, Health Policy and Planning

SUBJECT:

First Amendment to the Agreement between San Mateo County and Asian American Recovery Services

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a Resolution authorizing the President of the Board to execute an Amendment to the Agreement with Asian American Recovery Services for community-based Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention services and a social marketing campaign focused on young people, for the term January 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009, and increasing the Agreement amount by $30,100, for a maximum obligation of $255,100, with $5,100 Net County Cost.

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Ensure basic health and safety for all.

Goal 8: Help vulnerable people—the aged, disabled, mentally ill, at-risk youth and others—achieve a better quality of life.

This Agreement contributes to this commitment and goal by helping support the planning and development of a social marketing campaign that addresses the issue of underage drinking in Pacifica.

Performance Measure:

Measure

FY 2007-08
Estimated

FY 2008-09
Projected

Number of community members engaged in addressing high priority health issues

450

450

BACKGROUND:

The Roadmap for Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug (ATOD) Prevention: A Guide for Community Action was accepted by your Board on June 20, 2006. The Roadmap provides a comprehensive Countywide action plan to prevent alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use/abuse. The Alcohol and Other Drug services Strategic Directions 2010 plan, accepted by your Board on November 7, 2006, affirms that addressing the problems related to the use and abuse of alcohol and other drugs in our community is integral to the County’s continuing progress towards its vision of ensuring basic health and safety for all. Asian American Recovery Services (AARS) has been a key participant in these two processes.

Over the past year, AARS and members of the Partnership for a Safe and Healthy Pacifica (PSHP) collaborated with the Community Education Committee, a group of adult allies and Teens Making a Change (T-MAC) youth volunteers, to plan and develop a social marketing campaign addressing underage drinking in Pacifica. Pacifica youth ages 13-18 have easy access to alcohol, a high number of drunk driving incidents, and high levels of reported binge drinking. In two Pacifica high schools, Terra Nova and Oceana, 40% of students state that they are able to buy their own alcohol. Forty-two percent of Terra Nova 11th graders admitted to having driven drunk or been in a car with a drunk driver.

DISCUSSION:

During the past eight months, Health Department staff in conjunction with AARS and members of PSHP provided technical assistance, trained T-MAC youth volunteers and adult allies, and organized youth-led focus groups. The data from these sessions is expected to form the strategies for a Pacifica-wide social marketing campaign addressing underage drinking. Specifically, the focus group results will highlight the barriers and benefits Pacifica students experience when making decisions about alcohol use, the campaign messaging, and effective outreach strategies targeting Pacifica youth.

The collaborative effort of AARS, other members of PSHP, and the Health Department will work to affect change with regard to underage drinking in Pacifica through the implementation of this social marketing campaign. The program will also provide youth with life-long skills that will impact their lives as they develop into healthy, caring, and responsible adults. These efforts are in line with the Health Department’s priorities including the Youth Development Initiative and ATOD Prevention initiatives.

This Amendment and Resolution have been reviewed and approved by County Counsel.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The term of this Agreement under this Amendment remains January 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009. The total funding obligation is increased by $30,100, of which $25,000 is from Health Policy and Planning, and $5,100 is a Cost of Living Increase (COLA) funded by County funds, for a new maximum obligation of $255,100. Costs of the Amendment have been included in the Health Policy and Planning and Behavioral Health and Recovery Services tentatively Adopted FY 2008-09 Budgets. The Net County Cost is $5,100.