Title
a. Approve and authorize the Director of Health or the Assistant Director of Health to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the County of Monterey and Monterey Peninsula Unified School District to provide school-based education on the adverse effects of cannabis use by youth for the term of upon execution date through September 30, 2023; and
b. Approve and authorize the Director of Health or the Assistant Director of Health to sign up to three (3) future amendments to this Agreement where the amendments do not significantly change the scope of work and do not cause an increase of more than ten percent (10%) ($0) of the original contract amount.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Approve and authorize the Director of Health or the Assistant Director of Health to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the County of Monterey and Monterey Peninsula Unified School District to provide school-based cannabis education on the adverse effects of cannabis use by youth for the term of upon execution date through September 30, 2023; and
b. Approve and authorize the Director of Health or the Assistant Director of Health to sign up to three (3) future amendments to this Agreement where the amendments do not significantly change the scope of work and do not cause an increase of more than ten percent (10%) ($0) of the original contract amount.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The Monterey County Health Department Cannabis Education Program (Cannabis Program) is an awardee of Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) funding. BSCC grant funds will provide capacity for Cannabis Program staff to administer cannabis education and prevention utilizing the Cannabis Awareness & Prevention Toolkit (CAPT) to various middle and high school aged children within the Salinas Union High School District.
CAPT is a theory based and evidence informed educational resource aimed at preventing and delaying middle and high school students’ use of cannabis and encouraging those who are using to cut back or quit. The CAPT curriculum is non-judgmental with an overarching goal of protecting youth from cannabis exposure at this critical time of brain development. To expand education capacity, CAPT can be provided remotely to students and includes components that address the increased risk of COVID -19 infection from smoking/vaping cannabis.
States that have legalized medical or recreational cannabis have higher rates of use than those where all forms of cannabis remain illegal. The prevalence of cannabis use in youth is of interest when choosing to legalize cannabis as many of the negative health effects of cannabis are heightened when use begins in adolescence. Monitoring the Future survey data has shown a clear inverse relationship between risk perception and cannabis use among adolescents: the more risk attributed to cannabis, the lower the percent of use among youth. It is feared that any decline in risk perception resulting from legalization will be followed by an increase in prevalence of use.
A reverse phenomenon may be taking place as the acceptance of cannabis begins to increase by Monterey County youth. Claims that cannabis has medicinal properties, recreational legalization, and advertising of cannabis as harmless, may lead to an increase in youth abuse and dependence. Claims that cannabis has medicinal benefits creates additional challenges for adolescent prevention efforts, as they contrast with messages of its harmfulness setting up a dichotomy regarding prevention strategies.
Second to alcohol, marijuana is the most used substance among youth, despite its status as an illegal drug in many states. The rise of electronic cigarette use among youth offers new ways to consume cannabis and the dual use of tobacco and cannabis can negatively impact brain development. From 2018 to 2019, the percentage of 12th graders vaping cannabis in the past month increased from 7.5 percent to 14 percent; the second largest one-year increase recorded in the 45-year history of the Monitoring the Future survey (the first largest increase was nicotine vaping from 2017 to 2018).
This work supports the Monterey County Health Department 2018-2022 Strategic Plan Goals: 1. Empower the community to improve health through programs, policies, and activities; and 2. Enhance public health and safety through prevention. It also supports one of the ten essential public health services, specifically: 3. Communicate effectively to inform and educate people about health, factors that influence it, and how to improve it.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Office of the County Counsel and the Auditor-Controller have reviewed and approved this Memorandum of Understanding as to legal form and fiscal provisions, respectively. .
FINANCING:
This Agreement has no transfer of funds between the Monterey County Health Department and Monterey Peninsula Unified School District. The activities in this Agreement are funded 100% with California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) grant funding. Appropriations for FY 2022-23 are included in the Health Department’s (HEA003-8124) FY 2022-23 Adopted Budget.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
Check the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives:
☐Economic Development:
• Through collaboration, strengthen economic development to ensure a diversified and healthy economy.
☐Administration:
• Promote an organization that practices efficient and effective resource management and is recognized for responsiveness, strong customer orientation, accountability and transparency.
☒Health & Human Services:
• Improve health and quality of life through County supported policies, programs, and services; promoting access to equitable opportunities for healthy choices and healthy environments in collaboration with communities.
☐Infrastructure:
• Plan and develop a sustainable, physical infrastructure that improves the quality of life for County residents and supports economic development results.
☐Public Safety:
• Create a safe environment for people to achieve their potential, leading businesses and communities to thrive and grow by reducing violent crimes as well as crimes in general.
Prepared by: Shannon Castro, Management Analyst II, 755-4726
Approved by:
______________________________Date:_____________
Elsa Mendoza Jimenez, Director of Health, 755-4526
Attachment:
Memorandum of Understanding