Minutes of the Health Commission Meeting
Tuesday, February 3, 1998 3:00 p.m.
101 Grove Street, Room #300 San Francisco, CA 94102
1) CALL TO ORDER
The regular meeting of the Health Commission was called to order by
President Lee Ann Monfredini, at 3:00 p.m.
Present:
- Commissioner Debra A.
Barnes
- Commissioner Edward A. Chow, M.D.
- Commissioner Roma P. Guy, M.S.W.
- Commissioner Lee Ann Monfredini
- Commissioner Harrison Parker, Sr., D.D.S.
- Commissioner David J. Sanchez, Jr.,
Ph.D.
Absent:
11) CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION
A) Public comment on all matters pertaining to the Closed Session.
None.
B) Vote on whether to hold a Closed Session pursuant to Government Code
Section 54957 and San Francisco Administrative Code Section 67.10(b):
Appointment/Hiring: Director of the Department of Public Health.
To consider submission to the Mayor of the name(s) of qualified
applicant(s) for the position of Director of the Department of Public
Health, pursuant to Charter Section 4.102.
Action Taken: The Commission voted to hold a Closed Session.
C) Reconvene in Open Session:
1)Possible report on action taken regarding the submission to the Mayor
of the name(s) of qualified applicant(s) for the position of Director of
the Department of Public Health, pursuant to Charter Section 4.102.
Action Taken: The Commission unanimously approved Resolution #7-98,
"Submitting the Name of Mitchell H. Katz, M.D. to the Mayor for
Appointment as Director of the Department of Public Health,"
(Attachment A).
2)Vote to elect whether to disclose any or all discussions held in
Closed Session (San Francisco Administrative Code Section 67.14(a).).
Action Taken: The Commission voted not to disclose any discussions held
in Closed Session.
2) Approval Of Minutes Of The Meeting Of January 20, 1998.
Action Taken: The Commission unanimously adopted the minutes of
January 20, 1998.
President Monfredini announced the following Health Commission
assignments:
Budget Committee:
David J. Sanchez, Jr., Ph.D., Chairman
Debra A. Barnes
Ron
Hill
Joint Conference Committee for Quality Assurance - Community Health
Network:
Edward A. Chow, M.D.,
Chairman
Ron Hill
Lee Ann Monfredini
Joint Conference Committee for Quality Assurance - Public Health:
Roma Guy, MSW,
Chairperson
David J. Sanchez, Jr., Ph.D.
Harrison Parker, Sr.,
DDS
Joint Conference Committee for Quality Assurance - San Francisco
General Hospital:
Edward A. Chow, M.D.,
Chairman
Lee Ann Monfredini
Harrison Parker, Sr.,
DDS
Joint Conference for Quality Assurance - Laguna Honda Hospital:
Lee Ann Monfredini,
Chairperson
Roma Guy, MSW
Public Authority
Harrison Parker, Sr.,
DDS
SFGH Foundation
San Francisco Health Authority
Debra A. Barnes
Executive Committee, Mayor's Criminal Justice Council
Lee Ann Monfredini
3) CONSENT CALENDAR OF THE BUDGET COMMITTEE (Commissioner David J.
Sanchez, Jr., Ph.D.)
(3.1) Consideration of a supplemental appropriation of $420,032 for the
Conversion of Contract Employees in Mental Health Services to Civil
Service.
(3.2) PH-CH&S-STD Prevention and Control - Resolution authorizing
the Department of Public Health, Sexually Transmitted Diseases Prevention
and Control, to accept and expend a new grant in the amount of $167,680
from the California Department of Health Services, STD Branch, for the
period of April 1, 1998 to March 31, 1999, to conduct an STD Training
Program.
(3.3) Central Administration-MIS - Contract modification and sole
source increase with Systems Support Technologies (SST), in the amount of
$249,000 for the provision of technical support services for information
systems, for the period of June 17, 1997 through June 30, 1998. This
modification will bring the contract total to $1,063,000. (DPH contracted
with SST for services totaling $582,028 during FY 1996-97).
(3.4) PH-CHP&P-Tobacco Free Project - Request for approval of two
contract modifications for comprehensive tobacco control services, in the
amount of $1,261,500, for the period of January 1, 1998 through June 30,
1999: one with O'Rorke Public Relations and Advertising (O'Rorke), for
$900,000 to place anti-tobacco ads on network and cable television; and
the other with Polaris Research and Development (Polaris) for $361,500 to
evaluate media campaigns, enforcement of the City's tobacco-related
ordinances and prevention intervention. (During FY 1996-97 DPH contracted
with O'Rorke for services totaling $257,400, and with Polaris for services
totaling $781,093).
This item was continued to a future meeting.
(3.5) CHN-Central Administration - Reconsideration of a supplemental
appropriation request for $10,206,224 to fund increases to salaries and
operating accounts in order to meet increased demand for inpatient and
outpatient services for FY 1997-98, funded through MediCal, Medicare and
private insurance revenues, and to include a transfer of funding from
Visiting Nurse Hospice group (VNH) contracts to Community Health Network (CHN)
Home Health Agency.
Action Taken: The Commission approved the Consent Calendar of the
Budget Committee, except #3.4 was continued to a future meeting.
Due to a San Francisco Examiner article on the Women's Alcoholism
Center, which is funded by the Department, Commissioner Sanchez requested
a status report and a copy of the audit on this contractor at the next
Budget Committee meeting.
Note: Later during the meeting, Commissioner Sanchez requested this
issue be referred to the Joint Conference Committee for Quality Assurance
- Public Health, not the Budget Committee.
4) DIRECTOR'S REPORT. Provides information on activities and operations
of the Department. (Mitchell H. Katz, M.D., Interim Director of Health)
ADMINISTRATION
Prenatal Care for Undocumented ResidentsLast week, the State Court of
Appeals issued an order which allows the State to cut off State-funded
prenatal services, although there will be further legal proceedings that
could change this situation. On January 29, 1998 the State agreed that the
earliest the regulations will be implemented is March 1, 1998 for new
applicants, and April 1, 1998 for current beneficiaries.
As previously reported, the Court of Appeals order was issued in
the Alameda Superior Court case. In that case, the trial judge ruled that
the State regulations were improperly issued, and could not be implemented
until federal regulations were promulgated. The State appealed this
decision and asked the Court of Appeals to issue an order that would allow
the State to implement the regulations while the Court of Appeals
considered the merits of the appeal. The Court of Appeals issued that
order. However, the Court of Appeals has yet to decide the merits of the
appeal, and is expected to do so before March 1st.
A second lawsuit challenging the State's regulations on prenatal
services was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. In that case, plaintiffs
allege that the regulations are invalid because they fail to incorporate a
public health program for immunizations and the control of communicable
disease, an exception provided under Federal law. Plaintiffs also allege
that the notices the State plans to send to terminate Medi-Cal benefits do
not comply with legal requirements. There is likely to be a hearing in
this lawsuit before March 1, 1998.
Due to press reports that State funding could be terminated as early as
February 1, 1998, there has been a great deal of confusion and concern
about the status of prenatal care services. At this time, the State does
not intend to issue any notices to beneficiaries to clarify the status,
until approximately March 21st when they are required to notify current
beneficiaries that State-funded services will be terminated.
The Department will notify staff that all women continue to be
eligible for prenatal care regardless of immigration status. We have also
been talking to community-based immigrant and health care rights advocates
about possible outreach and media strategies for ensuring all women know
that they are eligible for and should continue to seek prenatal care.
Healthy Families UpdateLast week, the California Managed Risk
Medical Insurance Board passed regulations to implement the Healthy
Families Program. The regulations: (1) define the intent of the program;
(2) specify the program's eligibility, application and enrollment process;
(3) state the health, dental and vision benefits; and (4) provide the
health plan rate methodology and family contributions. MRMIB still
anticipates a July 1, 1998 implementation date.
Over the past several weeks, MRMIB has dealt with finalizing the
definition of community provider plan, specifying which individuals and
entities can receive the application assistance fee, revising the
co-payment for dental and vision services, addressing health plan
'low-balling' of rates and cultural and linguistic competency among health
plans.
The Health Care Financing Administration has responded to the
California's Healthy Families State Plan and has asked the State to
clarify a number of the programmatic components -- continuous eligibility,
application assistance fee, crowd-out, premiums and co-payments, and
program budget. Upon further review, MRIMB and DHS have determined that it
cannot implement the purchasing credit component of the program until
January 1, 1999. These children would still be eligible for the purchasing
pool program
It was also announced that Department of Health Services had awarded
the Medi-Cal/Healthy Families outreach and education contract to Runyon ,
Saltzman and Einhorn, along with the public relations firm Hill and
Knowlton. The first phase of the education/outreach campaign will be
targeted for Medi-Cal beginning this month, and the second phase targeting
Healthy Families is scheduled to begin in May 1998.
Health plans contract proposals are due February 20, 1998 while
dental and vision plan proposals are due February 13, 1998. MRMIB
anticipates selecting an administrative vendor for the program later this
month.
Managed Health Care Improvement Task ForceEarly last month the
California Managed Health Care Improvement Task Force adopted its
executive summary for its report to the Governor. Under the original time
line, the final report was to be released by the end of January 1998. As
of this date, the final report has not been released.
As you may recall, the Task Force was appointed by the Governor
to review, report and make recommendations on the State's managed care
system. The Task Force has also been asked to make recommendations on
streamlining the State's oversight and regulation of managed care.
The Task Force's recommendations fall into the following major areas:
- Improving Regulation : a new state entity to regulate managed health
care, it is currently regulated by the Department of Corporations.
- Making Competition Work for Consumers and Patients : enhance
purchasing groups, develop and use risk adjustment, standardize
insurance contracts and develop new quality information.
- Improving Quality of Care : improve the dispute resolution process,
disclose financial incentives for providers in managed care plans,
support physician-patient relationship, provide consumers with
unbiased, standardized information, improve the delivery of care and
practice of medicine, serve vulnerable populations, address women's
health issue and adjust educational program needs at academic medical
centers.
The Governor did not sign several pieces of managed care legislation
last year pending release of the Task Force's final report. At this point,
the Department cannot determine what impact this final report will have on
pending legislation or on the State's regulation of managed care plans.
Mayor's HIV/AIDS SummitApproximately 900 people attended the Mayor's
day-long AIDS Summit on January 27th at the Masonic Auditorium. The Mayor
called the Summit to examine the challenges and opportunities created by
medical advances in AIDS/HIV treatment and to recommend policy changes so
that the City responds effectively in the new AIDS environment. In
addition to remarks by Mayor Brown, presentations were made by experts and
researchers who spoke on various issues and related changes in the
epidemic.
Immediate results of the Summit include:
- Creation of the Mayor's AIDS Leadership Forum, Sandra Hernandez, MD,
will host the first meeting of the Forum in April, 1998.
- Announcement of a City-wide media campaign to promote the Department
of Public Health's HIV/AIDS Employment Development Unit, whose
creation is one of the Summit's principal recommendations.
- Appointment of Dick Pabich, a long-time AIDS activist and Summit
Coordinator, to a new post of AIDS Public Policy Coordinator.
- The Department is pleased to acknowledge the excellent, day-long
volunteer efforts of 30 DPH employees, many of whom are seasoned
veterans of previous Mayoral Summits.
DPH Launches WebsiteI am pleased to announce that beginning this
week, the Department of Public Health has an official World Wide Web at
http://www.dph.sf.ca.us. The site, which includes information and services
from all three DPH divisions and a special Health Commission menu, is also
linked to CitySpan, San Francisco's official City Website at http://www.ci.sf.ca.us.
We will continue to update, reconfigure and improve the site over the
coming months based on your feedback. Many thanks to the Central
Administration Network and Systems staff who have worked endless hours,
including evenings and weekends, to make the website a reality. We owe a
special thanks to Cecile Lavoie, Webmaster; Vickie Zulueta, Central
Administration, MIS Manager; Bill Hurja, Network Manager; Drew Camens,
Systems Engineer; Kjeld Molvig, CHN Webmaster; and Eileen Shields, DPH
Central Oversight.
PUBLIC HEALTHCommunity Health Services
I am sorry to inform you that Pat Reynolds, Director of the Community
Health Services Branch of the Public Health Division, will be leaving us
on February 13 to accept a position with the Stuart Foundation. We are
grateful for her contributions and we wish her well in her return to the
Stuart Foundation, where she worked prior to her tenure at the Department
of Social Services. We will miss her personally and professionally.
Public Health AdministrationAs part of the collaboration between the
Public Health Division and San Francisco State University, the first of a
series of Urban Health Seminars will be held February 4, in Room 300, from
3:00-5:00 p.m. on "The Future of Public Health." The keynote
address will be delivered by Rick Brown, Ph.D., Professor of Public Health
at UCLA and immediate Past President of the American Public Health
Association (APHA). The panel of respondents will include Joyce Lashoff,
Ph.D., also a Past President of APHA and a former Professor of Public
Health at UC Berkeley; George Flores, M.D., M.P.H., Health Officer for
Sonoma County; Lisa Moore, Dr. P.H. Associate Professor of Health
Education, SFSU and, Bob Prentice, Ph.D., Director of the Public Health
Division for the San Francisco Department of Public Health. Commissioners,
staff and the public are invited to attend. On a related matter, you might
also be interested to know that San Francisco State University has
received its final approval to go ahead with its new Masters Public Health
program this fall. As has been reported previously, the new MPH program
will be conducted jointly with the Department of Public Health.
Public Health Focus at UCSF/CHN RetreatAt the recent retreat of UCSF
and the medical staff of the Community Health Network, Bob Prentice was
invited to discuss areas of potential collaboration between the University
and Public Health. Until now, the Affiliation Agreement with UCSF has been
primarily restricted to the medical staff at SFGH. At the request of Phil
Hopewell, M.D., the new Associate Dean and Chief of Pulmonary Medicine,
this year's retreat explored ways in which not only the CHN medical staff
but UCSF as a whole might act as partners in achieving public health
objectives. The presentation and small group discussions focused on
research, development of the population health profile, incorporation of
public health into clinical training and institutional collaboration on
large public health projects.
AppointmentI am pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Ginger Smyly
to the position of Deputy Director, Community Health Promotion and
Prevention. Ginger has been an active participant in the development of
community-based prevention perspectives, plans and programs for the new
Prevention Branch of Public Health. Among other duties, Ginger will be
responsible for the development of health promotion and prevention
programs in the areas of health promotion, injury control, violence
prevention and chronic disease prevention.
Smoking Ban in BarsOn January 28, the State Assembly narrowly passed AB
297, which would repeal the bars, taverns and gaming club provisions of
the California Smokefree Workplace Act. The bill would rescind the
prohibition and permit smoking in bars and casinos at least until the year
2001. Thirty-one Republicans were joined by eleven Democrats in passing
this tobacco industry-backed bill.
The tobacco industry and gambling interests have been waging a battle
to repeal the smoke-free bar provision. The industry's lobbying corps has
been active in persuading swing democrats to vote for repeal. The public
relations campaign has been organized by the tobacco industry funded
National Smokers Alliance.
Although this bill passed the Assembly, a different response is
expected from the State Senate. John Burton, who will replace Bill
Lockeyer as leader of the Senate on February 5, opposes rescinding the ban
and has indicated that there will be no Senate action on the smoking ban
for weeks if not months according to a January 30th article in the San
Francisco Chronicle.
The Environmental Health Section has previously been designated by the
Board of Supervisors to enforce State Labor Code Section 6404.5 which
prohibits smoking in bars. An informal survey by Inspection staff reveals
that 75 to 80% of the facilities visited were complying with this statute.
The month of January was devoted to providing educational information
relative to their responsibilities.
Beginning in February, bars found not complying are being issued
citations to the weekly administrative hearings conducted by the
Department to warn them that arrest citations (traffic like tickets) will
be issued by the Department to establishments refusing to comply. Patrons
who continue to smoke after being requested to step outside by proprietors
are also subject to citation by the Police Department.
Women's Alcoholism CenterAs the Commissioners may be aware, there was a
recent article that came out regarding Women's Alcoholism Center.
Community Substance Abuse Services are reviewing these issues very closely
and will be providing an update on these issues in the near future.
COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORKPreparation for upcoming DHS survey of our MHRF/4A
Facility.
We are preparing for the upcoming MHRF/4A survey via a series of
administrative sessions every Monday morning. The sessions include review
of organization charts, policies and procedures, physical plant issues,
residents rights, CNA certification and staff education/orientation,
pharmacy and medication issues, and resident funds issues.
We will be conducting a mock survey February 4-5. The actual survey
will be unannounced.
Food Borne Illness Incident at a S.F. Downtown HotelEarly Sunday
morning, January 26, 1998, the combined Fire/Paramedic Dispatch Center
responded to calls from numerous participants of a convention group
visiting a San Francisco downtown hotel. Participants were complaining of
nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
With the tremendous cooperation of the hotel staff, a triage center was
set up at the hotel. The hotel supplied blankets, cots, water, juice and
crackers. The Assistant Medical Director of the Fire EMS Department was
dispatched to the hotel to provide care for patients. Sixty-three patients
were triaged and seven were transported to nearby hospitals.
Overall the Emergency Medical Services response was of the highest
quality. The Fire Department Communication Captains Cavanaugh and Leonard;
the San Francisco Fire Department Assistant EMS Medical Director, E.
Isaacs; Public Information Officer, Edward Campbell; all crew members of
Engine/Rescue Battalion 1; and Nancy Nowicki, Rescue Captain, EMS
Division, along with the hotel staff, deserve special recognition.
Our Epidemiologic and Environmental Health team headed by Tomas
Aragon, M.D. have been assessing the cause of the incident. The
epidemiology is consistent with food borne illness. We have interviewed
over 200 convention participants. At this time it is still unclear what
the source was that caused the illness.
Immunization Station in the Hawkins Village Medical Clinic The
Silver Avenue Family Health Center is pleased to announce the opening
ofthe "Immunization Station" in the Hawkins Village Medical
Clinic. As part of the primary care and public health services offered,
the clinic has identified Wednesday afternoons to focus on administering
immunizations to the school children, community organizations, and
residents of Visitacion Valley, Bayview Hunters Point, and the southern
part of Excelsior. Immunization clinic hours are 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on
Wednesdays. Hawkins Village Medical Clinic is open Mondays through
Thursdays, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The immunization clinic officially
opened on January 21, 1998.
The Hawkins Village Medical Clinic is a Proposition J funded satellite
clinic of the Silver Avenue Family Health Center. The immunization team
assigned to the clinic represents a coordinated effort by Silver Avenue
Family Health Center, the Department of Epidemiology in the division of
Public Health, and San Francisco General Hospital's Department of
Pediatrics. Medical Supervision is provided by Dr. Dick Brown of the
Department of Pediatrics. The staff of Silver Avenue Family Health Center
and Hawkins Village hope this service will fill a very important void in
the lives of valley residents.
5)CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION DETERMINING WHETHER THE RELOCATION OF
OBSTETRICS SERVICE FROM CHINESE HOSPITAL TO CALIFORNIA PACIFIC MEDICAL
CENTER WILL OR WILL NOT HAVE A DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON HEALTH CARE SERVICE
OF THE COMMUNITY
Vice President Sanchez presided on this item. Commissioner Monfredini
and Commissioner Chow abstained on this item due to conflict of interest.
Action Taken: The Commission adopted Resolution #6-98,
"Determining Whether the Relocation of Obstetrics Service from
Chinese Hospital to California Pacific Medical Center Will or Will Not
Have a Detrimental Impact on Health Care Service of the Community,"
(Attachment B). Commissioner Monfredini and Commissioner Chow abstained.
Rose Pak, a Trustee of Chinese Hospital, offered support to the
Commission and the Department on any outreach efforts to the community.
6) STATUS REPORT ON THE MAYOR'S BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE ON UNIVERSAL
HEALTH CARE COVERAGE
Tangerine Brigham, Director of Policy and Planning, gave an update on
the work of the Mayor's Blue Ribbon Committee, which has been meeting
since November 1996 to develop recommendations on how the County might
best pursue expanded health care coverage for the uninsured. The 30-member
Committee includes providers, consumers, insurers, employers,
community-based organizations, labor, and health advocates.
For a copy of the status report, contact the Commission Office at
554-2666.
Ms. Brigham highlighted the following areas of work by the Committee:
- San Francisco's Uninsured
Population
- Designing a Health Insurance Program
- Proposed Purchasing Alliance/Pool Model
- Purchasing Program Components
- eligibility
- scope of benefits
- health plan providers
- financing
- administrative structure
- governance
- Pilot Program
- Impact on Department of Public Health
Community Forums
Ms. Brigham reported that the Committee has not issued its final
recommendations. She requested guidance from the Commission as the
Committee prepared its recommendations to the Mayor.
Commissioners' Comments:
- How will be work of the Blue Ribbon Committee fit into the 1115
Waiver?
- Business community should be included in discussions
- A Community Forum was not held in Chinatown
- A universal plan may be inclusive but may not be viable
- Is copayment of $15.00 unrealistic?
- An important part of the cost and the impact on the public health
system is to project which populations will be left out
Public Speaker: Steve Leoni, consumer advocate recommended a mental
health representative be included on the 1115 Waiver Planning Committee.
Ms. Brigham reported that the final recommendations from the Committee
to the Mayor will come out in the Spring.
Dr. Katz encouraged the Commission to help problem-solve the question
of how to do universal health care and yet maintain the public health
system.
7) PRESENTATION OF THE PROPOSED DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH BUDGET FOR
FY 1998-99, AND A PROPOSED RESOLUTION FOR A POLICY TO EXPAND HOUSING
SERVICES, PREVENTION SERVICES, MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SERVICES (MIS), AND
TO CREATE A DEPARTMENTAL RESERVE
Note: The Proposed Department of Public Health Budget for FY 1998-99 is
available for review at the Commission Office.
Monique Zmuda, Chief Finance Officer, presented the following:
The proposed budget for next year is divided into two sections: 1) the
base budget, which includes expenses and revenues needed to maintain the
current level of services; and 2) service enhances, which are proposed
separately for your review, consistent with the Mayor's budget
instructions.
This budget incorporates the implementation of key policy issues
already approved by the Health Commission, including expansion of
substance abuse treatment consistent with the Treatment on Demand Program,
increased funding to provide equal access to mental health treatment for
indigent and uninsured San Francisco residents. It contains the
implementation of health coverage for in-house supportive service workers
by leveraging Federal funds through the Department of Human Services.
In the Proposed FY 1998-99 Budget, we request the Health Commission to
consider and approve a policy to expand health and supportive housing
services to the homeless, and to expand and develop key primary prevention
initiatives (African American health, injury prevention, substance abuse
prevention, and children's health). Also requested is approval of a policy
to increase Management Information Systems (MIS) support in order to link
public health system to our network and to replace critical MIS hardware
components to operate our existing systems. Finally, approval is requested
for a policy statement to reinvest current year surplus revenues to fund
infrastructure requirements, including the establishment of prudent
revenue reserve for next year. This policy is presented to the Commission
in the form a resolution, which is attached for your review and
consideration for the next Health Commission meeting.
Also included in the Budget is increased funding for critical
infrastructure improvements in order to maintain support services for the
Department's health delivery system. In the area of expansion of services,
the FY 19998-99 Budget proposes to augment existing services in the areas
of environmental health, maternal and child health, adolescent health,
urgent care, and primary care. Also included are proposals to develop a
medical/psychiatric program and a dementia care program for Laguna Honda
Hospital residents.
Once approved by the Health Commission, the Department's budget
proposal will be forwarded to the Mayor's Office.
Ms. Zmuda highlighted the Proposed FY 1998-99 Budget for the revenues,
expenditures, and general fund support, (Attachment C). Her presentation
covered these subjects:
Organization
Completion of Reorganization of Public Health
Division
Baseline Budget
Pending Supplemental Appropriations
Base Supplemental
Appropriation
Volume Supplemental
Appropriation
Revenues
Revenue
Projections
Lost Grants Revenues
State Budget
Current Year Projected
Surplus
New Initiatives
Treatment on Demand
Equal Access to Care - Mental Health Services
Prevention
Housing
Infrastructure
Lost Grants
Service Enhancements
COLA's
Revenue Generating New Initiatives
Universal Health Care
HIV/AIDS
Capital Requests
Public Speakers: Mark Stanford, Local 535
Joe Rubino, Conard House
Richard Heasley, Conard House
Jennifer Freidenbach, Coalition for Homelessness
Commissioners' Comments:
The presentation of the budget proposal is a comprehensive package
The proposed capital reserve policy should be in a separate resolution
A reserve policy is needed for the Department
Some of the other policy issues in the proposed resolution should be in
separate resolutions
What is the Department leaving out of the Target Cities Project?
Support was expressed for the roof at Laguna Honda Hospital and the
specialty wards for medical/psychiatric patients, geropsychiatric
patients, and neuropsychiatric patients
Support was expressed for rodent control and COLA's
For the future, in order that specific attention be given to the
budget, a single item for the budget presentation and discussion should be
calendared on the agenda
The Commission will vote on the Proposed FY 1998-99 Budget at the
February 17, 1998 meeting.
8) STATUS REPORT ON PROVIDER NETWORK OUTREACH FOR THE SAN FRANCISCO
MENTAL HEALTH PLAN
Jo Ruffin,. LCSW, Director of Community Mental Health Services,
reported that on April 1, 1998, as part of the State's Medi-Cal Mental
Health Managed Care Plan, Community Mental Health Services (CMHS) will
assume responsibility and receive State and Federal funding for all
specialty mental health services for San Francisco Medi-Cal beneficiaries.
On that date, CMHS will formally begin operations of the San Francisco
Mental Health Plan, which has been implemented in phases over the last
three years. The State approved CMHS' Implementation Plan in August.
Today's presentation centered on the Mental Health Division's
operational readiness for start-up of the San Francisco Mental Health
Plan. For a copy of the report, contact the Commission Office at 554-2666.
Ms. Ruffin presented a functional structure chart, (Attachment D), of
the S.F. Mental Health Plan, and introduced here key staff who will
implement the Plan.
The status report included the progress in the provider network
development, access and authorization, and claims processing.
The infrastructure for the Mental Health Plan includes the following:
- access/authorization
- eligibility policy
- provider network
- system of care, an array of services
- information systems
- member problem resolution and grievance process
- quality
management
Community Mental Health will come back with a progress report at the
end of May.
Commissioners' Comments:
The overview and presentation were excellent.
The level and quality of this report was valuable and comprehensive.
The Mental Health Plan gives a positive excitement about managed care.
The Mental Health Plan addressees all of the elements needed for
managed care.
A full-time Medical Director and an interdisciplinary effort focusing
on the client are positive aspects of the plan.
9) OTHER BUSINESS/PUBLIC COMMENTS
None.
Commissioner Guy and Commissioner Sanchez left the meeting.
10) CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSIONA. PUBLIC COMMENT ON ALL MATTERS PERTAINING
TO THE CLOSED SESSION.
None.
B. VOTE ON WHETHER TO HOLD A CLOSED SESSION TO CONFER WITH LEGAL
COUNSEL. (SAN FRANCISCO ADMINISTRATIVE CODE SECTION 67.11(a)).
C. POSSIBLE CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.9
AND SAN FRANCISCO ADMINISTRATIVE CODE SECTION 67.11(b).
CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - SETTLEMENT OF EXISTING
LITIGATIONVALERIE SMITH V. CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO (SFGH),
SUPERIOR COURT #985-455, CONSIDERATION OF A SETTLEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF
$8,500
Action Taken: The Commission voted to go into Closed Session.
D) RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION:
1)POSSIBLE REPORT ON ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION. (GOVERNMENT CODE
SECTION 54957.1(a)(2), AND SAN FRANCISCO ADMINISTRATIVE CODE SECTION
67.14(b)(2).)
Action Taken: The Commission approved the settlement of $8,500 for
Valerie Smith v. CCSF (SFGH) Superior Court #985-455.
2)VOTE TO ELECT WHETHER TO DISCLOSE ANY OR ALL DISCUSSIONS HELD IN
CLOSED SESSION. (SAN FRANCISCO ADMINISTRATIVE CODE SECTION 67.14(a).)
Action Taken: The Commission voted not to disclose any discussions held
in Closed Session.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 p.m.
Sandy Ouye Mori, Executive Secretary to the Health Commission |