Title
a. Approve and authorize the Director of Health or Assistant Director of Health to execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) retroactive to January 1, 2018 through June 30, 2021 by and between the County of Monterey, on behalf of the Monterey County Health Department (hereinafter referred to as “Health”) and Santa Cruz-Monterey-Merced Managed Medical Care Commission, dba Central California Alliance for Health (CCAH), for the purpose of facilitating services under the County of Monterey Whole Person Care Pilot Program (WPC) through the exchange of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and Protected Health Information (PHI); and
b. Approve and authorize the Director of Health or Assistant Director of Health to sign up to three (3) future amendments to this MOU where the amendments do not significantly change the terms of the MOU.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Approve and authorize the Director of Health or Assistant Director of Health to execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) retroactive to January 1, 2018 through June 30, 2021 by and between the County of Monterey, on behalf of the Monterey County Health Department (hereinafter referred to as “Health”) and Santa Cruz-Monterey-Merced Managed Medical Care Commission, dba Central California Alliance for Health (CCAH), for the purpose of facilitating services under the County of Monterey Whole Person Care Pilot Program (WPC) through the exchange of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and Protected Health Information (PHI); and
b. Approve and authorize the Director of Health or Assistant Director of Health to sign up to three (3) future amendments to this MOU where the amendments do not significantly change the terms of the MOU.
SUMMARY:
Health provides physical health, behavioral health, substance use, case management, and social services to vulnerable residents of the County of Monterey (County), including those with chronic diseases, mental illness, and/or substance use disorders. CCAH is the Medi-Cal managed care health plan serving the County of Monterey, with the mission of providing accessible, quality health care guided by local innovation by connecting patients with providers that deliver timely services and preventive care. This MOU is entered into for the purpose of facilitating services under the County of Monterey Whole Person Care Pilot Program (WPC) through the exchange of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and Protected Health Information (PHI). The initial term of this MOU shall begin retroactively on January 1, 2018 and end June 30, 2021 (this MOU authorization was delayed due to heightened scrutiny regarding the sharing of PII and PHI). Upon expiration of the initial term, this MOU can be renewed for successive one-year periods (each a Renewal Term) with parties’ agreement until terminated in accordance with termination provisions of the MOU. There are no financial terms to the MOU. The MOU provides that service commitments may be renegotiated annually.
DISCUSSION:
Monterey County is the awardee of WPC funds provided by the State of California Department of Health Care Services, and Health is the fiscal agent and the lead agency charged with implementing the WPC agreement. The Monterey County Health Department, Director of Health chairs the WPC Executive Committee. WPC seeks to serve a minimum of 600 Medi-Cal members currently enrolled in CCAH throughout the duration of the WPC program. In order to serve the targeted population of high utilizers, CCAH needs to identify and transmit to Health the Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and Protected Health Information (PHI) of those members who are high utilizers of emergency departments and hospitals and who may meet the requirements for enrollment in WPC, so that they may potentially be offered enrollment in the WPC.
As the lead agency charged with implementing WPC with State of California funding, Health must report to the state aggregated and deidentified WPC enrollee health outcomes for the purpose of measuring WPC efficacy, and this MOU is designed to facilitate those obligations.
This work supports the Monterey County Health Department 2011-2015 Strategic Plan initiative number 3: Ensure access to culturally and linguistically appropriate, customer-friendly, quality health services. It also supports five of the ten essential public health services, specifically: 3) Inform, educate, and empower people about health issues, 4) Mobilize community partnerships and action to identify and solve health problems, 5) Develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts, 6) Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety, 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 and approved this MOU as to form and legality.
FINANCING:
No financial terms to this MOU.
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: Patricia Zerounian, Management Analyst III, x4583
Approved by: Elsa Jimenez, Director of Health, x4526
Attachments:
MOU on file with the Clerk of the Board