Title
Approve and Authorize the Chair of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors to sign the Co-Applicant Agreement between the Monterey County Board of Supervisors and Monterey County Community Health Center Board.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
Approve and Authorize the Chair of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors to sign the Co-Applicant Agreement between the Monterey County Board of Supervisors and Monterey County Community Health Center Board.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The Co-Applicant Agreement is a federal regulatory requirement for Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Look-Alikes. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable. HRSA's Bureau of Primary Health Care oversees the FQHC program and is responsible for the governance requirements as set forth in Policy Information Notice 2014-01. The Monterey County Community Health Center Board (CHCB) was established to govern the Monterey County Health Department's Clinics in compliance with federal regulations in order to receive FQHC Look-Alike designation.
The Monterey County Health Department, as a public agency that receives FQHC Look-Alike designation must comply with federal health center requirements and regulations. HRSA guidelines require public agencies to meet all governance requirements identified in section 330 of the Public Health Service Act and 42 CFR Part 51c either: (1) directly; or (2) through a formal arrangement with a co-applicant governing board. The Co-Applicant Agreement must identify the roles and responsibilities of both the public center and co-applicant, the delegation of authorities of both parties, and any shared roles and responsibilities in carrying out the governance functions.
The Co-Applicant Agreement clarifies and conveys the respective roles of the CHCB and the County Board of Supervisors in a manner that is both consistent with HRSA governance requirements and the structure and operation of the County of Monterey. The Co-Applicant Agreement preserves both of HRSA's community-based and patient-directed intent of the Health Center Program and the operational processes and policies of the County of Monterey. Public centers with a co-applicant arrangement must provide a signed and dated copy of the Agreement between the two parties to HRSA. On October 16, 2014, the Health Department presented an oral report on the Co-Applicant Agreement to the Board of Supervisor's Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee.
This Co-Applicant Agreement supports the Monterey County Health Department 2011-2015 Strategic Plan initiatives: 3) Ensure access to culturally and linguistically appropriate, customer-friendly, quality health services. It also supports one or more of the ten essential public health services, specifically: 3) Inform, educate and empower people about health issues; and 7) Link people to needed personal health services and assure the provision of health care when otherwise unavailable.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel has reviewed the Co-Applicant Agreement and concurs with this recommendation.
FINANCING:
This Agreement has no impact on the County General Fund Contribution.
Prepared By: Julie Edgcomb, Clinic Services Bureau Chief, 1370
Approved By: Ray Bullick, Director of Health, 4526
Attachment: Co-Applicant Agreement between the Monterey County Board of Supervisors and Monterey County Community Health Center Board is on file with the Clerk of the Board.