TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute the Third Amendment to Agreement No. 28384 and any subsequent amendments or necessary documents, between the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the City of Long Beach to accept funding in the amount of $160,467 for the term of July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, to provide Community Outreach, Enrollment, Utilization and Retention (COEUR) services for the benefit of low-income families to gain affordable medical insurance. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
On April 22, 2003, the City Council accepted a grant award from the County of Los Angeles Department of Health Services (County) for the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) to conduct outreach, assist with enrollment and utilization of services, and to retain health insurance benefits coverage for uninsured children (0-5 years) and families who may be eligible for Healthy Kids, Medi-Cal, Healthy Families or other low-cost health care programs in the City. This agreement is funded with monies from the Healthy Kids Program of the First 5 LA, Los Angeles County Children and Families First - Proposition 10 Commission. The initial agreement term was from July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2004 with annual one-year renewals through June 30, 2008. To preserve the continuity of the grant's services, the Health Department had previously requested the ability to automatically renew these contracts annually for the duration of the five-year grant period, provided that the County renews the grant. The County has offered an amendment to extend this contract for a second additional year, for the term of July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010.
In the past, the Health Department has worked with a subcontractor to assist in carrying out the goals of this grant. Due to the economic climate, the Health Department has returned to core services and can no longer sustain subcontractors. Of the $160,467 in funds from the County expected during this period, the Health Department plans to utilize the entire amount to sustain our Medi-Cal/Healthy Families Outreach Program.
The program will conduct outreach to a minimum of 10,000 families and will provide enrollment assistance to at least 800. Follow-up will be conducted with each family to ensure successful enrollment and utilization of benefits, and to provide ongoing assistance to maintain health insurance coverage.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Linda Trang on July 13, 2009 and Budget and Performance Management Bureau Manager David Wodynski on July 17, 2009.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action on this matter is requested on August 4, 2009 in order to continl,le services and funding without interruption.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City will receive grant revenues of $160,467 to offset expenditures of the same amount. Sufficient funds are currently appropriated in the Health Fund (SR) in the Department of Health and Human Services (HE). There is no impact to the General Fund. These funds are not currently impacted by the State budget crisis.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
RONALD R. ARIAS
DIRECTOR
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
|
APPROVED: |
|
|
|
|
|
PATRICK H. WEST |
|
CITY MANAGER |