TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Jennifer Yasumoto, Director Health and Human Services Agency
REPORT BY: Summer Isham, Contracts Supervisor
SUBJECT: Amendment No. 3 to Revenue Agreement with California Department of Health Care Services and Amendment No. 2 to Agreement with Community Health Initiative Napa County, Inc. (Medi-Cal Health Enrollment Navigators Project)
RECOMMENDATION
title
Director of Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) requests approval of and authorization for the Chair to sign Amendment No. 3 to Revenue Agreement No. 200303B with the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) for a maximum of $630,477, for the term January 1, 2020, through September 30, 2022, for the Medi-Cal Health Enrollment Navigators Project (Navigators Project), and to sign Amendment No. 2 to Agreement No. 210259B with Community Health Initiative Napa County, Inc. (CHI), for a new maximum of $163,544, for the term January 1, 2021, through September 30, 2022, to make use of the Revenue Agreement from DHCS for Medi-Cal Outreach & Enrollment activities.
body
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Approval of today’s action will:
1. Amend a current Revenue Agreement with DHCS to extend the term of the agreement through September 30, 2022, in order to allow for more time to expend funding for the Navigators Project services and activities pursuant to AB 74; and
2. Amend a current Agreement with CHI to extend the term of the agreement through September 30, 2022, as well, and increase the contract maximum by $40,000 to a new maximum of $163,544, in order to fully expend the Revenue Agreement from DHCS to use towards continued Medi-Cal Outreach & Enrollment. Exhibit A is revised to expand services to include outreach to current beneficiaries to ensure continued Medi-Cal coverage once the Public Health Emergency (PHE) is lifted. Exhibit B is revised to include the additional funding being added by virtue of this amendment.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
|
Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
|
Is it currently budgeted? |
Yes |
|
Where is it budgeted? |
Health and Human Services Agency, Self Sufficiency Services |
|
Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
|
Discretionary Justification: |
These agreements are discretionary in that there is no mandate to extend their terms, however, acceptance of this extension allows the Navigators Project to enroll and retain more Napa County residents in the Medi-Cal program. |
|
Is the general fund affected? |
No |
|
Future fiscal impact: |
None, these agreements expire September 30, 2022. |
|
Consequences if not approved: |
If these agreements are not approved, Napa County will be unable to fully expend the Navigators Project funding. |
|
County Strategic Plan pillar addressed: |
Healthy, Safe, and Welcoming Place to Live, Work, and Visit |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Self-Sufficiency Services Division (SSSD) of HHSA will utilize this extension of the current Revenue Agreement with DHCS to continue funding the current agreement with CHI. CHI utilizes the Navigators Project funds to assist individuals with completing applications and renewals at onsite and outreach locations. The additional funding will allow CHI to continue to provide these services through September 30, 2022.
Assembly Bill (AB) 74 (Chapter 23, Statutes 2019) authorizes DHCS to manage and fund Medi-Cal outreach, application assistance, enrollment, and retention services, called "Navigators Project Funding". As part of the May 2022 Revision of the Governor’s Budget, it included the proposal of additional funds and an extension of time in order to expend them, to the Health Navigators Project. DHCS offered a contract extension of an additional quarter of the current agreement to current partners. The contract extension is from June 30, 2022, through September 30, 2022.
The Agency utilizes this allocation fund for outreach, enrollment and retention through existing staff and a contract with CHI. As a condition of the grant funding, the County is required to collaborate with one or more CBOs to develop, conduct and implement effective tools and methods to expand Medi-Cal outreach, application assistance, increase Medi-Cal enrollment and contribute efforts to retention for the uninsured, target populations.
HHSA’s SSSD, along with Agency and community partners, aims to improve and increase the outreach, application assistance, enrollment and retention efforts and reach uninsured county residents who may be eligible to Medi-Cal, with a focus on the hard to reach targeted populations.
These amendments are coming to the Board of Supervisors at this time because the Agency was not notified of the DHCS grant extension until June 10, 2022, and subsequent discussions regarding clarification were needed in regard to that Amendment. CHI has been continuing to perform these services because it is part of the work they otherwise conduct, and approval of their Amendment will allow Napa County to provide support to them through the provision of funding dedicated for this very purpose.