Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Colleen Chawla, Chief, San Mateo County Health
Travis Kusman, Director, Emergency Medical Services
Subject: Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the San Mateo County Emergency Medical Services Agency to Access State Summary Criminal History Information for Volunteers
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Adopt a resolution authorizing the San Mateo County Emergency Medical Services Agency to access state summary criminal history information for volunteers.
body
BACKGROUND:
Penal Code Sections 11105(b)(11) and 13300(b)(11) authorize counties to access state and local summary criminal history information for employment, licensing, or certification purposes, based on exclusion or qualification criteria tied to specific criminal conduct.
The Emergency Medical Services Agency (EMS Agency) has long maintained this access for Emergency Medical Technician-I certification and oversight, as authorized by the Board in 2010, but does not currently have corresponding authority for volunteers.
On June 9, 2026, the Board adopted a resolution intended to extend criminal history access to volunteers at both the state and federal levels. The California Department of Justice subsequently advised that new applications for federal-level criminal history access for volunteer populations have been placed on hold indefinitely and directed the County to proceed separately with state-level authorization. This resolution returns to the Board consistent with that guidance and is limited to state-level criminal history access for volunteers.
DISCUSSION:
The San Mateo County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a County-coordinated network of trained medical and non-medical volunteers who augment local response capacity during public health emergencies, disasters, and large-scale events. Volunteers may include physicians, nurses, Emergency Medical Technicians, behavioral health professionals, and other community members with relevant skills. They assist with activities such as care at field treatment sites, mass vaccination and testing operations, shelter medical support, disaster health response, and preparedness training and exercises.
This resolution authorizes the EMS Agency to access state summary criminal history information for the screening and authorization of volunteers, including those participating in the County's MRC program, and supports appropriate eligibility determinations for individuals serving in these roles.
It is anticipated that by the end of FY 2026-27, 100% of MRC volunteers authorized by the EMS Agency will have completed state summary criminal history verification.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2025-26 Actual |
FY 2026-27 Estimated |
|
Percentage of MRC volunteers authorized by the EMS Agency that will have completed state summary criminal history verification |
0% |
100% |
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
MRC volunteers augment local response capacity and may be activated during public health emergencies, natural disasters, large-scale events, and other incidents requiring additional personnel. Disasters and public health emergencies often disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, and as a result, MRC volunteers are a critical component of an effective disaster response strategy for the County.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Fiscal Impact as a result of this resolution.