Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Louise F. Rogers, Chief, San Mateo County Health
Tamarra Jones, Director, Public Health, Equity, Policy & Planning
Subject: Measure K: Grant Agreement with Ravenswood Family Health Network for Implementing Pipeline to Peak Performance Training for Workforce Preparedness Project
RECOMMENDATION:
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Measure K: Adopt a resolution authorizing a grant agreement with Ravenswood Family Health Network for implementing Pipeline to Peak Performance Training for Workforce Preparedness Project, for the period of November 12, 2024 through June 30, 2027, in an amount not to exceed $750,000.
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BACKGROUND:
Measure K is the half-cent general sales tax initially approved by the San Mateo County voters in November 2012 and extended through November 2016 for a total of thirty years. In response to Board direction, staff gathered community input regarding priorities for the allocation of Measure K funds. Staff collected feedback from Community Based Organizations, County departments and conducted a countywide survey and listening sessions to obtain resident input. At the October 3, 2023, Measure K study session, staff presented a report produced by InterEthnica, summarizing the results of the surveys and listening sessions which provided valuable input for the Board.
On October 17, 2023, this Board finalized and approved the following priority areas for FY 2024-25 Measure K funding: Children, Families, and Seniors; Housing and Homelessness; and Emergency Preparedness. Mental Health is a component of each priority area rather than a stand-alone item. In addition to the approval of the priority areas, this Board authorized the County Executive to develop and proceed with a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) process to obtain applications for funding within the approved priority areas and subcategories identified by the Board.
On March 27, 2024, this Board approved recommended applications received pursuant to the NOFO and authorized the County Executive to negotiate agreements with applicants, to be returned to this Board for approval. By this action, the application of Ravenswood Family Health Network (RFHN) was approved for an award of Measure K funds under Children, Families, and Seniors priority area to fully develop and sustain a robust pipeline of highly qualified staff in 3 paraprofessional categories for the period of Nov 1, 2024, through Jun 30, 2027, in an amount not to exceed $750,000.
RFHN is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) headquartered in the low-income East Palo Alto area of San Mateo County. The main clinic and main dental clinic are located in East Palo Alto. RFHN offers comprehensive health care services including pediatrics, women’s health, family medicine, adult medicine, integrated behavioral health, dentistry, optometry, ultrasound mammography, social services, podiatry, pharmacy, x-ray, lab, health education, chiropractic care, and enrollment services to vulnerable communities in Silicon Valley cut off from the area’s economic prosperity. RFHN’s mission is to improve the health of vulnerable communities by providing culturally sensitive, integrated primary and preventive health care, regardless of ability to pay or immigration status, and by collaborating with community partners to address the social determinants of health.
In calendar year 2022, RFHN’s East Palo Alto sites provided health care services to 20,288 unduplicated patients, including 5,596 unduplicated dental patients. These patients were mainly from East Palo Alto and the surrounding communities. Total staffing in East Palo Alto alone numbered 253 individuals at all levels of support, including primary care, dental clinicians, medical support and administrative staff, a great many of whom are bilingual in Spanish and English.
RFHN is also a recognized Patient-Centered Medical Home through the National Committee for Quality Assistance, an independent nonprofit based in Washington DC that works to improve health care quality through the administration of evidence-based standards, measures, programs, and accreditation. Most importantly, RFHN is proud of having consistently passed the rigorous federal Health Resources and Services Administration site audits, required every three years for FQHCs of their size.
DISCUSSION:
Measure K funding will support RFHN plans to implement the Pipeline to Peak Performance Training for Workforce Preparedness project over three years to fully develop and sustain a robust pipeline of highly qualified staff in three paraprofessional categories: 1) Dental Assistants (DAs); 2) Medical Assistants (MAs); and 3) Front Office Staff (FO Staff). RFHN has been working on and wants to continue to develop a solid paraprofessional pathway for young people from the communities RFHN serves - low-income, people of color from San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, with the majority from San Mateo County, particularly East Palo Alto, Menlo Park's Belle Haven, and Redwood City's North Fair Oaks. These positions provide essential supportive roles in pediatrics, women’s health, family medicine, optometry, dentistry, enrollment, and patient intake.
RFHN offers on-site MA, DA, and FO supervision to student-trainees who need to complete externship hours at the end of their academic technical training. The students, who are mostly Spanish bilingual, have different levels of preparation. These entry-level students and even some current staff, typically need a higher level of onboarding and training to meet and maintain RFHN’s more rigorous standards.
As RFHN continues to grow, it is critical to maintain and enhance their in-house training program for paraprofessionals. Measure K funding will help them develop high-standard and consistent training for their paraprofessionals across all sites, and thereby offer standardized high-quality health care to patients, resulting in better patient experience and health outcomes.
Further, Public Health, Policy and Planning requests this Board authorize the Chief of San Mateo County Health or her designee to execute any subsequent amendments to the agreement that do not exceed an aggregate of $25,000.
The County Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the proposed agreement and resolution as to form.
It is anticipated that RFHN will train 12 candidates from the communities they serve to perform DA, MA and FO staff duties annually. This will bolster the paraprofessional pathway needed to fill clinic support staff positions and deliver high-quality, standardized care to patients.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2024-2025 Estimated |
FY 2025-2026 Projected |
|
Number of newly hired and trained paraprofessional staff |
2 DAs, 6 MAs, 4 FO Staff |
2 DAs, 6 MAs, 4 FO Staff |
Equity Impact:
This program will create equitable economic opportunities for the communities RFHN serves - low-income, people of color from San Mateo County, particularly East Palo Alto, Menlo Park's Belle Haven, and Redwood City's North Fair Oaks. This is an intentionally designed paraprofessional training program that will recruit, train, and onboard community members to serve as MAs, DAs, or FO staff to deliver high-quality, standardized health care in a culturally and linguistically sensitive manner. The steady stream of trained candidates joining RFHN’s workforce to fill the shortage in staff will ensure health care delivery is not compromised and can also be extended to serve a larger community. The potential to open this training to more community members seeking similar employment is to be explored.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The term of the agreement is November 12, 2024, through June 30, 2027. The amount of the agreement is not to exceed $750,000 for the three-year term and will be funded through Measure K funds. The Measure K funds are included in the PHPP FY 2024-25 Adopted Budget under Non-Departmental Services. Similar arrangements will be made for future years.