Agenda

Return

C. 30

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Monica Nino, County Administrator
Date:	April 12, 2022

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

APPOINTMENTS TO THE LOS MEDANOS HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 04/12/2022

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:	Timothy M. Ewell, (925) 655-2043
cc:	Ernesto De La Torre, LMHAC Staff Hon. Alice E. Evenson, Pittsburg City Clerk Hon. Debra Mason, Chair - Bay Point Municipal Advisory Council

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: April 12, 2022
Monica Nino, County Administrator

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPOINT the following individuals to the Los Medanos Health Advisory Committee:

RECOMMENDATION(S): (CONT'D)

Seat

Nominee

Term Expiration

City of Pittsburg Seat No. 1

Jelani Killings

12/31/2023

City of Pittsburg Seat No. 2

Shanelle Scales Preston

12/31/2024

Bay Point Municipal Advisory Council Seat No. 1

Lloyd Lee Mason

12/31/2023

Bay Point Municipal Advisory Council Seat No. 2

Marcia Lessley

12/31/2024

Health Services Department - Public Health

Sefanit Mekuria

12/31/2023

Health Services Department - Behavioral Health

Christopher Pedraza

12/31/2024

FISCAL IMPACT:

No fiscal impact.

BACKGROUND:

Dissolution of the Los Medanos Community Healthcare District

On March 9, 2022, the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) recorded a Certificate of Completion (Document No. 2022-0042380) with the County Clerk-Recorder dissolving the Los Medanos Community Healthcare District (LMCHD). The recording was completed following action by the California Supreme Court to deny the Los Medanos Community Healthcare District’s petition requesting review of the Court of Appeal’s decision in Los Medanos Community Healthcare District v. Contra Costa LAFCO and Contra Costa County. The lawsuit challenged the dissolution approved by LAFCo and the Court of Appeal ruled in favor of the County and LAFCo.

The dissolution of the District was originally authorized by LAFCo Resolution No. 17-13B, which included certain terms and conditions related to that action. The terms and conditions of the dissolution, among other things, appoint Contra Costa County to serve as successor agency of the dissolved District and charges the County with winding up the former District's affairs, including taking possession and disposing of District assets and liabilities. In addition, the LAFCo terms and conditions require the County to administer a grant program for the benefit of residents in the former District area. The grant program will be funded with ad valorem property tax dollars formerly allocated to the District.

Establishment of the Los Medanos Health Advisory Committee

The Los Medanos Community Health Advisory Committee (the "LMHAC") was created by the Board of Supervisors in 2018 as pursuant to the terms and conditions approved by LAFCo to dissolve the LMCHD. The purpose of the LMHAC is to:

1. Develop an area health plan that identifies the major health disparities that impact residents of the former LMCHD service area, and establishes 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. Solicit proposals from service providers that are interested in participating 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. Monitor the efficacy of the programs funded by the grant program.

4. 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.

Nominations to the Los Medanos Health Advisory Committee

The LMHAC is composed of seven seats nominated to the Board of Supervisors by the following: (2) from the Pittsburg City Council, (2) from the Bay Point Municipal Advisory Council (MAC), (2) from the Health Services Department (one from Public Health and one from Behavioral Health) and (1) from the Internal Operations Committee of the Board of Supervisors. Today's recommendation does not include a nomination from the Internal Operations Committee - that action will come back to the Board at a future date for consideration. Below is a discussion on the nomination process for each of the seats being recommended for appointment:

Pittsburg City Council. On January 20, 2022, the County sent correspondence to the City of Pittsburg requesting that the City Council forward nominations to fill two seats on the LMHAC no later than March 18, 2022. On March 7, 2022, the City Council passed Resolution No. 22-14062 nominating two members of the City Council to serve on the LMHAC. The County was informed that Vice Mayor Shanelle Scales Preston and Councilmember Jelani Killings would be the representatives serving on behalf of the City Council.

Bay Point MAC. On February 1, 2022, the Bay Point MAC began a process to identify nominees from the Bay Point community to serve on the LMHAC. On April 5, 2022, the Bay Point MAC voted to nominate Lloyd Lee Mason and Marcia Lessley to serve as the Bay Point MAC representatives on the LMHAC. Mr. Mason was a previous director on the LMCHD governing board and Ms. Lessley is a current member of the Bay Point MAC.

Health Services Department. Following the dissolution of the LMCHD and reorganizations of the Mount Diablo and West Contra Costa Healthcare Districts, Contra Costa County Health Services is the sole public provider of healthcare services within the County. The LMHAC includes two representatives from the Health Services department to ensure that both clinical expertise and knowledge of the current publicly provided healthcare infrastructure is present during discussion of how best to recommend funding allocations for former LMCHD property tax revenue to the Board of Supervisors. The Health Services Director has nominated the following individuals to serve on the LMHAC:

Christopher Pedraza (Behavioral Health seat). Mr. Pedraza has worked in the Behavioral Health community for over 15 years with the majority of the time being focused on Substance Use Disorders (SUD). Since coming to Contra Costa Behavioral Health Services five years ago, Christopher has overseen the creation and negotiation of all Alcohol and Other Drugs Services (AODS) contracts and recently took over the oversight of mental health services contracts as well. Along with the contract oversight, Christopher continues to be the Manager overseeing Discovery House, a County-operated, 40-bed men’s residential SUD treatment facility in Martinez and preparing for the implementation of CalAIM within Behavioral Health Services.

Dr. Sefanit Mekuria (Public Health seat). Dr. Mekuria completed a residency in both Pediatrics and Preventive Medicine and received her Master’s in Public Health from University of California, Berkeley. She has worked on several projects throughout Contra Costa Public Health and has supported the communicable disease branch as a medical consultant. Currently, Dr. Mekuria is a Medical Director in Public Health and one of the Deputy Health Officers for the county. She is currently the COVID-19 operations section chief supporting the COVID-19 response. In addition to this, she works closely with the school-based clinic programs, aiding in any planning for clinics and also supporting the service providers.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

Appointments to the Los Medanos Health Advisory Committee will not be made resulting in the inability of the Committee to begin meeting to review services and programs previously provided by the Los Medanos Community Healthcare District and make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors.