Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael Callagy, County Manager
Subject: Confirmation of Emergency Regulation
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution confirming the issuance of Director of Emergency Services Emergency Regulation No. 2 for the COVID-19 Emergency.
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BACKGROUND:
Section 8630 of the Government Code and Section 2.46.060 of the San Mateo County Ordinance Code authorize the San Mateo County Director of Emergency Services (“Director”), during the pendency of a proclaimed local emergency, to issue regulations reasonably related to the protection of life and property as affected by such emergency. When the Director issues such emergency regulations, they must be promptly presented to the Board of Supervisors for confirmation.
Healthcare providers throughout San Mateo County, like those throughout the rest of the State, are experiencing an unprecedented surge of critically ill COVID-19 patients. This surge has put extraordinary stress on the County’s acute care and intensive care unit (ICU) bed capacity and the County’s ICU capacity is presently below ten percent.
This shortage of hospital beds has created an extreme crisis in ICU capacity that, if left unaddressed, could lead to the imposition of crisis standards of care in County hospitals. The recent increase in COVID-19 cases could potentially overwhelm ICU capacity in the County and the region, thereby immediately threatening the health and safety of residents of the County and the greater Bay Area region.
In consultation with the Chief of San Mateo County Health and the County Counsel, I determined that it was necessary to move immediately to procure services to address the County’s critical healthcare needs in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
DISCUSSION:
Given the above circumstances, I determined that, in order to facilitate, without delay, the immediate procurement of medical staffing, supplies, and equipment, it was appropriate to issue an emergency regulation to authorize the Director of Emergency Services, acting in consultation and coordination with the Chief of San Mateo County Health and the County Counsel, to enter into agreements on behalf of the County, in any amount, for medical services to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency, subject to any such agreement subsequently being ratified by the Board of Supervisors or promptly terminated thereafter if the Board of Supervisors determines not to ratify it.
On December 18, 2020, I issued an emergency regulation, Director of Emergency Services Emergency Regulation No. 2 for the COVID-19 Emergency (“Director’s Emergency Regulation No. 2”), which incorporate these powers and conditions. I now request that you confirm the issuance of this emergency regulation.
Acting in consultation and coordination with the Chief of San Mateo County Health and the County Counsel, I have executed, on behalf of the County, an agreement with AMI Expeditionary Healthcare (“AMI”) and Dignity Community Care, doing business as Sequoia Hospital (“Sequoia Hospital”), which will provide healthcare staffing to increase the availability of ICU beds for County residents at Sequoia Hospital for an amount not to exceed $4,800,000. Pursuant to Director’s Emergency Regulation No. 2, this agreement is being brought to this Board for ratification as a separate Board item, concurrent with this instant request to confirm my issuance of Director’s Emergency Regulation No. 2.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost impact resulting from the approval of the recommended action. The $4,800,000 described above has been budgeted in FY 20-21 budget.