Approval of these actions would allocate up to $500,000 of Los Medanos Community Health District (LMCHD) property tax revenues to community programs within the LMCHD boundaries. There is no fiscal impact to the County General Fund. (100% Los Medanos Community Healthcare District Funding)

On July 10, 2018, the Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution No. 2018/436 establishing the Los Medanos Health Advisory Committee to develop and implement the Los Medanos Area Health Plan Grant Program. The LMHAC is tasked with:  
  
1. Developing an area health plan that identifies the major health disparities that impact residents of the former LMCHD service area and identifies priorities for improving health outcomes. The plan will be presented to the Board of Supervisors for review and will not be final unless adopted by the Board of Supervisors. The LMHAC may engage an outside consultant to assist in developing the plan. The LMHAC shall submit an updated plan for approval by the Board of Supervisors no less than every five years.  
2. Soliciting proposals from service providers that are interested in participating in the Los Medanos Area Health Plan Grant Program (the "Grant Program") and are capable of addressing the priorities outlined in the adopted plan. Funding for grants will be provided from (i) a special fund established by the Auditor-Controller, at the direction of the Board of Supervisors, that is used to segregate the property tax revenue received by the County as a result of the dissolution of the District, and (ii) any other funds made available to the grant program (e.g. through restricted donations, grants, etc.).  
3. The advisory committee will recommend a list of proposed grantees to the Board of Supervisors for approval.  
4. Monitor the efficacy of the programs funded by the grant program.  
5. Report to the Board of Supervisors no less than once per year on the execution of the adopted plan, the grants provided under the grant program, the results achieved through the adopted plan and the grant program, and other matters that relate to the LMHAC's purpose and duties.  
  
When LMCHD was dissolved all previous grants were closed. The initial dissolution timeline stated that a new grant program would be available 15 months after dissolution (June 2023).  
At its July 12, 2022 meeting, the LMHAC discussed an interim grant program to cover major health disparity needs prior to the new grant program, and approved a subcommittee to develop an Interim Grant Program.  
  
At its October 11, 2022 meeting, the LMHAC unanimously approved the attached Los Medanos Health Advisory Committee Interim Grant Program, which lists community programs that would be eligible for funding as a single cycle allocation approach to provide transitionary, one-time grants exclusively to those Community-Based Organizations (CBO) who previously received grants from LMCHD during the 2021/22 grant cycles, pursuant to a Request for Information (RFI) process managed by the Health Services Department. The LMCHD 2021/22 grant cycle provided $486,124 in grant funding as detailed in the attached Interim Grant Program document.  
  
The LMHAC’s proposed Interim Grant Program continues the mission of the Los Medanos Community Health Care District to, ‘Advance solutions to health disparities within the Los Medanos Health Area’. The Interim Grant Program’s goal is to support the programs that previously received grants so that interim services can be provided to the Los Medanos Health Area community until the final Grant Program is approved. During the proposed interim grant window of December 2022 through June 2023, recipients of the Interim Grant Program will be informed of the single cycle nature of the interim plan and receive guidance on the new grant program, including the County RFI process that will be implemented in the final Grant Program.  
  
The following are the proposed terms of the Interim Grant Program, as approved by the LMHAC:  
* Type of Grant: Project support grant: This grant funds a particular program or project.  
* Interim Grant Budget: Up to $500k allocated for the interim grant program  
* Grants: Up to 25 transitional grants available, Minimum grant amount, $10,000, One year grant period  
* Reporting requirements: Interim grant program - midterm (6mo) and final report (12mo)  
* Grant restrictions: Types of organizations – must be 501 (c)(3) or in partnership with a fiduciary agency, No fundraising activities, Application limited to previous grantees from 2021 to 2022, Cannot be used for capital improvements.  
  
It was also agreed that Health Services will manage the RFI processes for the Interim Grant Program, which will only be available for programs that received grants during the LMCHD 2021/22 grant cycle.  
  
A letter dated November 10, 2022 (attached), from the City of Pittsburg Mayor, was received by Supervisor Federal Glover and County staff, urging Board action on funding local community programs being considered by the LMHAC since July of 2022 as part of a Transitional Grant Funding Program that would fund programs “during the holiday season”. The urgency to fund Aspire’s Youth Engagement Program – Joy the Urban Nutcracker was specifically mentioned due to potential delays a lack of funding would present for a program with a performance date of December 10th in Pittsburg.  
  
At the November 22, 2022 LMHAC meeting, there was discussion about the need for grants to support holiday programs in December. Committee members determined that there was an immediate need to support organizations and programs providing services during the holiday season. County Staff confirmed that Aspire’s Youth Engagement Program – Joy the Urban Nutcracker had received funding from LMCHD in 2021/2022 and was providing a holiday event in the Los Medanos Health Area in December 2022.  
  
In addition, the LMHAC reviewed previous LMCHD grants and determined that there were other programs that previously provided food, shelter, clothing, or holiday events. The LMHAC voted unanimously to recommend to the Board of Supervisors that nine CBOs receive expedited funding of up to $10,000 each (total $90,000) for their December programs that provide food, shelter, clothing or a Holiday event. The nine CBOs included in the LMHAC’s recommendation, which are highlighted in the attached LMHAC Interim Grant Program Plan document, were confirmed to have previously received funding in 2021/22 LMCHD grant cycles. If approved as requested, the proposed $90,000 expedited allocation for December would exclude a competitive solicitation process. Should the entire $90,000 expedited allocation be approved and awarded, the remaining $410,000 of funding would include a competitive bidding process in the form of a RFI. The allocation recommendations for the community programs included in the attached Interim Grant Program that have not been identified for expedited funding will complete a competitive solicitation process conducted by Health Services staff. The LMHAC will also receive support from Health Services staff to conduct a competitive solicitation process for the 2023/24 fiscal year final “Grant Program”, which is planned for June/July of 2023 and as approved by the Board of Supervisors.  
  
Though the LMHAC has identified nine programs with an immediate need for funding beginning the month of December, staff have determined that LMHAC recommendation does not comply with County competitive solicitation processes, the requirement of execution of a service contract for expenditure, and the spirit of the terms and conditions imposed by LAFCO as part of the dissolution of the former district (LAFCO Resolution No. 17-13B), and is therefore being included as a separate action item for Board consideration, as requested by the LMHAC.  

If this action is not approved, the LMHAC will not be able to make funding recommendations for LMCHD grant programs for FY 2020/2023.

Speakers: Ray, Executive Director, Healthy Arch Institute; Willy, Youth County AECP. 

The presentation slides were not available at the time of publication of the agenda.  They are adopted into the record by unanimous vote of the Board.