Title
a. Approve and authorize the Director of the Health Department or Assistant Director of the Health Department, on behalf of Monterey County, to accept a grant from the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) in conjunction with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the amount of one thousand nine hundred dollars ($1,900) for food safety programs for staff to train on the National Environmental Assessment Reporting System (NEARS); and
b. Approve and retroactively authorize the Director of the Health Department or Assistant Director of the Health Department, on behalf of Monterey County, to sign a non-standard agreement with mutual indemnification provisions with the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) to fulfill the grant and program objectives.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Approve and authorize the Director of the Health Department or Assistant Director of the Health Department, on behalf of Monterey County, to accept a grant from the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) in conjunction with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the amount of one thousand nine hundred dollars ($1,900) for food safety programs for staff to train on the National Environmental Assessment Reporting System (NEARS); and
b. Approve and retroactively authorize the Director of the Health Department or Assistant Director of the Health Department, on behalf of Monterey County, to sign a non-standard agreement with mutual indemnification provisions with the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) to fulfill the grant and program objectives.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The Environmental Health Bureau’s Consumer Health Protection Services (CHPS) is responsible for retail food protection and cottage food operations regulation, substandard rental housing inspections, recreational and beach water quality monitoring, public swimming pools and spas inspection, vector control, agricultural field toilet inspections, tobacco licensing inspections, the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, and other general health protection activities.
The National Environmental Health Association <http://www.neha.org/> (NEHA), in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), provides this grant to governmental food safety programs to train on the National Environmental Assessment Reporting System (NEARS) program. NEARS is a surveillance system that captures environmental assessment data from foodborne illness outbreak investigations in retail food services to improve food safety programs.
Funding will support food safety program initiatives and will Support activities such as: staff time to learn about NEARS, the purchase of equipment to build capacity in foodborne outbreak investigation, and the ability to use funds to encourage local programs within the state to participate.
Outputs expected include Environmental Assessment Training Series (EATS) training, completion of an introduction to NEARS webinar hosted by CDC, completion of a final report, to include: Identifying how the funding was able to help the program build capacity in conducting foodborne outbreak investigations and determining whether NEARS can be incorporated into Monterey County’s Consumer Health Protection Services program.
This activity supports the Monterey County Health Department 2018-2022 Strategic Plan initiative: 2. Enhance community health and safety through prevention. It also supports one of the ten essential public health services, specifically: 5. Develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts 6. Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The National Environmental Health Association <http://www.neha.org/> (NEHA) supports this recommendation.
FINANCING:
There is no impact to the General Fund resulting from the acceptance of this grant; there are adequate appropriations available in the Environmental Health Bureau’s Approved Budget (001-4000-8117-HEA005) to allow for any reimbursements.
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: Rob Durham, MA III, x8979
Approved by: Elsa Jimenez, Director of Health, x4526
Attachment:
Agreement is on file with the Clerk of the Board