AGENDA DATE: 11/1/2017
TITLE:
Title
Fiscal Year 2018 County of Albemarle and State Health Department Local Government Agreement
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Approve FY18 Agreement with the State Board of Health for the provision of public health services through the Thomas Jefferson Health District (TJHD)
ITEM TYPE: Consent Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Walker, Letteri, Kamptner, Herrick
PRESENTER (S): N/A
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Douglas C. Walker
BACKGROUND: Virginia Code § 32.1-31 allows local governing bodies to enter into contracts with the State Board of Health for the operation of local health departments. It also requires that these contracts specify the services to be provided in addition to those required by law and contain such other provisions as the State Board and the governing body may agree on. The County’s contract specifies both the scope and costs for the services to be provided locally.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Quality Government Operations: Ensure County government’s ability to provide high quality service that achieves community priorities.
DISCUSSION: The Thomas Jefferson Health District (TJHD), in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Health, is the primary provider of public health services and programs for Albemarle County and surrounding localities. TJHD offers specific health programs targeted at preventing and controlling infectious diseases as well as initiatives aimed at improving the health of low-income women, children and infants. In addition, the Health District provides an inspection and monitoring program to ensure the safety of food and private well/septic systems. These services are funded cooperatively by the State, County and other neighboring jurisdictions. Non-local funding for these TJHD programs is provided by the Commonwealth of Virginia, grants and income from local fees charged to individual clients. The localities served by TJHD provide matching local funds for the allocations made by the State and allocate resources for Local-Only Programs such as food safety. The Virginia Department of Health requires that local governments enter into agreements stipulating the scope of health services to be provided by the TJHD to citizens in their respective jurisdictions. The FY 18 agreement (Attachment A) has been reviewed and approved as to form by the County Attorney’s Office. Attachment B is an attachment to the Agreement, and sets forth services to be provided by the TJHD.
BUDGET IMPACT: Pursuant to the funding formula set by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission and based on the State’s FY18 contribution of $860,123.00 to the TJHD, the County’s required FY 18 match of $703,737 for Cooperative State and Local Matched Programs was appropriated in FY 18, as well as $47.00 in one-hundred percent local funds, for a total appropriation of $703,784.00. The Health Department had a FY 17 year-end positive variance, of which $33,005.84 will either be used to offset the County’s required contribution for Cooperative State and Local Matched Programs, reducing the required County FY 18 contribution for those Programs to $670,731.16, or to fund other potential one-time needs that have been identified by Health Department staff if approved by the Board of Supervisors. Additional information regarding the other potential uses may be provided to the Board for its consideration at a future meeting.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Based on the vital nature of the services provided by the TJHD, staff recommends that the Board adopt the attached Resolution (Attachment C) to approve the FY 18 County of Albemarle and State Health Department Local Government Agreement (Attachment A) and to authorize the County Executive to execute that Agreement.
ATTACHMENTS:
A - FY 18 Local Government Health Department Agreement
B - Attachment to Local Government Health Department Agreement
C - Resolution