REPORT TO SHASTA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

BOARD MEETING DATE:  January  9, 2018
CATEGORY:  Regular - Health and Human Services-4.

SUBJECT:

Agreements with Hill Country Community Clinic and Shasta Community Health Center for the Whole Person Care Pilot Program.

Supervisorial District No. :  All

DEPARTMENT CONTACT:  Dean True, Branch Director, HHSA Adult Services, (530)225-5900

STAFF REPORT APPROVED BY:  Donnell Ewert, Director, Health and Human Services Agency

RECOMMENDATION

Take the following actions regarding the Whole Person Care (WPC) Grant Pilot Program for the period January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2020: (1) Approve and authorize the Chairman to sign retroactive agreements for intensive medical case management teams with: (a) Hill Country Community Clinic in an amount not to exceed $2,405,950; and (b) Shasta Community Health Center in an amount not to exceed $2,372,349.

SUMMARY

Approval of these agreements will provide for the coordination of health, behavioral health, and social services as required by the WPC  Grant Pilot program agreement with the State of California (State) Department of Health Care Services.

DISCUSSION

The WPC Grant Pilot program serves Medi-Cal beneficiaries who are high utilizers of our local hospitals and who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. One component of the  program approved by the Board on December 6, 2016, was the development of intensive medical case management teams at local participating Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Hill Country Community Clinic and Shasta Community Health Center.  These agreements outline the responsibilities of the participating FQHCs and the grant funding available  for development and implementation of the program. 

Each FQHC will develop teams including one Registered Nurse and one medical case manager to work collaboratively with Health and Human Services Agency, Regional Services Branch housing case managers to provide services to improve the health and well-being of participants. This project encourages new and innovative  levels of coordination between government, medical, and social services agencies that not available through traditional Medi-Cal reimbursement. The project’s purpose is to find new and more effective ways to serve some of our most high-need community members.

These agreements are retroactive in part due to the unusual nature of the grant funding (see Financing section below), and  the need to begin services as quickly as possible in order to both comply with State requirements and maximize available funds. This resulted in contract development happening concurrent with program development and implementation. 

ALTERNATIVES

The Board could choose not to approve one or both agreements, or could direct the department to renegotiate the terms of the agreements.

OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT

County Counsel has approved the agreements as to form.  Risk Management has approved the agreements. This recommendation has been reviewed by the County Administrative Office.

FINANCING

Appropriations for these services are provided for with the Whole Person Care grant agreement and are included in the Fiscal Year 2017-18 Adopted Budget. Appropriations for subsequent years will be included in HHSA budget requests. There is no additional General Fund impact from the recommended action.