Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Colleen Chawla, Chief, San Mateo County Health
Tamarra Jones, Director, Public Health, Policy and Planning
Subject: Agreement with California Department of Public Health for LabAspire Public Health Laboratory Director and Public Health Microbiologist Training Program
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution:
A) Authorizing the acceptance of an award from the California Department of Public Health to support the increased funding for LabAspire Public Health Laboratory Director and Public Health Microbiologist Training Program, for the term of September 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, in an amount not to exceed $579,447.00; and
B) Authorizing the Chief of San Mateo County Health or the Chief’s designee to execute the agreement with the California Department of Public Health, or any revised agreement to amend the start date, with no other changes to the agreement, should the California Department of Public Health approve an earlier start date.
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BACKGROUND:
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) works to protect the public’s health and helps shape positive health outcomes for individuals, families, and communities and advances the health and well-being of California’s diverse people and communities.
CDPH is providing Local Assistance funding authorized through Assembly Bill 107 to increase the number of Public Health Microbiologist trainees in California county public health laboratories and to support the LabAspire training program, which prepares qualified professionals to direct local public health laboratories. The funds will support training activities through June 30, 2027, including Public Health Microbiologist trainee instruction, participation in the California Association of Public Health Laboratory Directors consortium training program, and LabAspire Public Health Laboratory Director Training fellowships and instruction.
DISCUSSION:
The County of San Mateo Public Health Laboratory (PHL) provides essential laboratory testing and public health surveillance services that support the County’s response to communicable diseases, outbreaks, and other public health threats. Maintaining a qualified laboratory workforce is necessary to sustain these services and to meet State and federal personnel requirements for public health microbiology and high-complexity clinical laboratory operations.
The agreement term, as received from CDPH, begins September 1, 2026, or upon approval by the Department of General Services, whichever is later. Discussions with CDPH are ongoing, and there is a possibility that the agreement start date may be amended to retroactively align with the grant start date of July 1, 2026.
Public Health, Policy, and Planning (PHPP) requests approval of the agreement as presented in order to expedite grant claiming, as well as authorization for the Chief of San Mateo County Health or the Chief’s designee to execute any subsequent revised agreements or amendments necessary to revise the agreement term start date, should CDPH agree to an earlier start date. Any such revised agreement or amendment would make no other substantive changes to the agreement.
This authorization would allow PHPP to align the agreement term with the grant period and claim additional eligible costs.
The resolution contains the County’s standard provisions allowing amendment of the County’s fiscal obligations by a maximum of $25,000 (in aggregate).
This agreement is coming to this Board late due to delayed receipt of the grant from State. CDPH provided the agreement to County of San Mateo Health in September 2026 with a grant start date of September 1, 2026.
The agreement and resolution has been reviewed and approved by the County Attorney as to form.
It is anticipated that through approval of this grant, PHL will be able to train two microbiologist trainees and one assistant lab director trainee. This will strengthen the PHL’s capacity to provide timely laboratory testing, disease surveillance, outbreak response, and other essential public health laboratory services.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2026-27 Estimated |
|
Number of microbiologist and assistant lab director trainees able to be trained by PHPP |
2 microbiologist trainees 1 assistant lab director trainee |
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
Approval of this grant, affirms the continuous commitment to ensuring timely and accurate lab testing and results for treatment and community action. This grant allows the PHL to support training and is a testament to its dedication to building an inclusive workforce. By ensuring that training is available to any qualified individual, the County is helping to promote diversity and belonging in our workforce and actively advance a vision of equitable access, opportunity, and justice for every member of our diverse community.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The amount of the agreement is not to exceed $579,447.00 for a one-year term of September 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. Funds in the amount of $579,447 are included in the PHPP FY 2026-27 Adopted Budget. Since the County is receiving this funding, there is no Net County Cost.