City Council Agenda Report
Meeting Date: August 15, 2023
From: Freddie Agyin, Director of Health and Environmental Control Department: Health and Environmental Control
Submitted by: Veronica Petrosyan, Deputy Director of Health and Environmental Control
Subject
Master Affiliation Services Agreement with Wellness and Equity Alliance (WEA) for Public Health Services
Recommendation
A. Pursuant to Vernon Municipal Code (VMC) Sections 3.32.110 (B)(2) and (B)(3), find that it is in the best interest of the City to award a services agreement directly to WEA without a competitive process; and
B. Authorize the City Administrator to execute the Master Affiliation Services Agreement with WEA, in substantially the same form as submitted, for public health services for a total amount not-to-exceed $567,000, for a one-year term.
Background
Public health is one of the greatest systems a government can invest in. Public Health promotes the welfare of the entire population, ensures its security and protects it from the spread of infectious disease and environmental hazards, and helps to ensure access to safe and quality care to benefit the whole population.
The areas of public health responsibility include:
1. Assuring an adequate local public health infrastructure
2. Promoting healthy communities and healthy behaviors
3. Preventing the spread of communicable disease
4. Protecting against environmental health hazards
5. Preparing for and responding to emergencies, and
6. Assuring health services
On October 24, 2022, the City executed a services agreement with WEA for Health Officer services and a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) for a total not-to-exceed amount of $97,800. On December 20, 2022, Amendment No. 1 to the services agreement was approved by City Council to increase the total-not-to-exceed amount of the contract to $369,000 for a fiveyear term.
The results of the CHNA identified the need to expand the capacity of the Department of Health and Environmental Control to include public health services. As part of the FY 2023-2024 budget workshops for City Council, the Department discussed potential health program options. In consideration of the information presented by Staff, City Council opted to include $573,674 for WEA Health Services in the FY 2023-2024 budget.
Accordingly, during Fiscal Year 2023-2024, the City will pilot the following public health services as part of the first phase of capacity building:
• Clinical service offerings directly to the Vernon community at the Vernon Wellness Center located at City Hall.
• Clinical service offerings via the mobile health vans on-site at Vernon business locations. • Intervention service offerings with integrated behavioral health services.
Pursuant to VMC Sections 3.32.110(B)(2) and (B)(3), the City is best served by a direct award of the contract for Public Health Services without a competitive selection process based on the work and services already contracted with WEA, including Health Officer services and the CHNA.
WEA has the professional resources and technical expertise to administer clinical services. In addition, WEA has a diverse and culturally competent workforce to expand the City’s wellness education and outreach efforts to increase stakeholder engagement.
Therefore, staff recommends approval of the agreement with WEA for public health services.
City Council approval of the agreement is necessary as the proposed agreement exceeds $100,000 over the term of the agreement. The Master Affiliation Services Agreement has been approved as to form by the City Attorney’s Office.
Fiscal Impact
The fiscal impact is not-to-exceed $567,000. Sufficient funds are available in General Fund, Health Department, Health Services Account No. 011-020-200-529230 for the current fiscal year.
Attachments
1. Master Affiliation Services Agreement