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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09111990 - H.2 H. 2 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order on September 11, 1990 by the following vote: AYES: Supervisors McPeak, Torlakson and. Fanden NOES: None ABSENT: Supervisors Powers and Schroder ABSTAIN: None SUBJECT: Hearing on Elimination of and/or Reductions in the Level of Health Services Provided. by the County, and/or the Closing of County Health Facilities. This is the time for hearing on elimination of and/or Reductions in the Level of Health Services Provided by the County, and/or the Closing of County Health Facilities: a) approved by the Board of Supervisors on August 6 , 1990 and as notice by the Health Services Department on August 6, 1990 for hearing on August 28, 1990, which hearing was opened on August 28 , 1990 and continued to September 11, 1990; b) approved by the Board of Supervisors on August 14, 1990; and c) as noticed by the Health Services Department on August 10, 1990 for hearing on September 11, 1990 Arthur Walenta, Assistant County Counsel, reviewed the matters before the Board and delineated the documents contained in the file of the Board of Supervisors. Mark Finucane, Director of Health Services, reviewed the various areas of the budget that have been recommended for reduction or upon which reductions have been taken: 1. The Sexually Transmitted Disease Program. 2. Medically Indigent Adult Program (noting that the Department has withdrawn its proposal to eliminate the basic Adult Care Recipients from the federally qualified HMO) . 3 . Teenage Program Clinic. 4. Ambulatory Care Services. 5. Drug Program Overmatch. 6. Mental Health Adult Programs. The Chair announced that she had many request to speak cards and that she would be limiting speakers to two minutes, and asked for the speakers cooperation. The following persons appeared: Lynn K. Chung, 5559 Macdonald Avenue, E1 Cerrito, one of the therapists of the Adult Outpatient Clinic in Richmond, who outlined her concerns that the elimination of services will have a devastating affect on the clients, and was also concerned that budget cuts would result in the layoff of minority mental health staff, particularly with respect to the Asian staff. 1 Susan Hooy, 1867 Jefferson St. , Concord, President of the Diablo Valley District of the California Dietetic Association, asked that the Contra Costa County Health Services Prevention Program be spared additional budget cuts to enable the work of preventing hunger and nutrition related chronic diseases to continue within the County. Jana L. Johnsen, 2500 Alhambra Avenue, Martinez, Chaplain at Merrithew Memorial Hospital, urged that the Chaplaincy contract be renewed, and outlined the work done by the Hospital Chaplains. Jean Siri, 1015 Leneve Place, E1 Cerrito, spoke on the Prevention Program, noting that she serves on the Public and. Environmental Health Advisory Board. She told of the many advantages. of the program. She also urged that if any money could be found. anywhere, it go to the Sexually Transmitted Disease. Clinic. Henry L. Clarke, Local 1, addressed proposed cuts in the outpatient adult therapy program in the mental health area and urged the program be kept in operation until at least January when Initiative 134 (on the November 1990 ballot) funds will be available ( if the initiative passes) . He urged that no vacancies be filled and there be a cut in supervisory positions in order to keep the program going. Alexander Riskin, 16 Donald Drive, Orinda, representing the Gray Panthers of Central Contra Costa County, who advised. that he is a retired medical doctor, commented that hearings should be held before cuts are made instead of afterwards. He suggested that instead of a 5 percent cut in contract positions, it be raised by 15 percent and the money be used for the clinic for sexually transmitted diseases. Rev. Shirley T. Sherrill, 1175, Via Doble, Concord, President of the Contra Costa Council of Churches, spoke in favor of renewing the contract for Chaplaincy Services for Merrithew Memorial. Hospital. Doris Copperman, 3 Penrith Walk, Pleasant Hill, representing the Public and Environmental Health. Advisory Board, noting that two programs PEHAB would most urgently like to see reinstated. are the Prevention and Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic. She noted that the issues of cuts are much bigger than just the County, that they are. State and National, and that the people who make decisions should be urged to change national priorities so that people are the first priority of our nation. Machrina Blasdell, 1543 Sunnyvale Avenue, Walnut Creek, Director of the Council of Churches, requested that the contract with the Council of Churches for Chaplaincy Services be reinstated. Gerald Hill, 2540 East Street, Concord, representing the Council of Churches, complimented the Board on its hard work in the agonizing decisions that need to be made in balancing the budget. He appealed to the Board to continue the Chaplaincy Service at Merrithew Memorial Hospital, advising that he did not believe to be realistic to expect the churches and synagogues of the community to pick. up this work and do it, that it takes somebody who is well trained and skilled. Mike Cornwall, 105 Oakvue, Pleasant Hill, spoke on the cuts in the outpatient mental health clinics. He advised that he believed that there had been a mishandling by the administration in the handling of these cuts. He outlined several questions he wanted the Board to consider as it makes its decision on restoring mental. health services. Susan Prather, Pinole, member of the Homeless Advisory- Committee, dvisoryCommittee, and advocate for the homeless, expressed concern with the consequences of cutting the funds for the Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics. She expressed the need for outreach and and the need for clinics in West County. She also addressed the Homeless General Assistance Alcohol Program and the need for appropriate funding. 2 Dr. Stanley Hutter, Outpatient Clinic Psychologist, and a member of Local 1, spoke to problems resulting from the elimination of outpatient psychotherapy services. He spoke against elimination of evening hours of the West County Crises Center and the elimination of psychotherapy services in the County' s outpatient clinic. He referred to letters he had previously sent to the Board with respect to the productiveness of the services of the mental health counselors, social workers and psychologists. David Shaw, 1732 A. Francisco, Berkeley, mental health specialist with West County Children' s Services, and a member of Local 1, advised that people from West County feel they have needs that are not being addressed. He urged that management listen to line staff with respect to cutting services. He requested that workers be informed of the plan for services after the cuts. Barry Woerman, 2000 Vale Road, San Pablo, representing Brookside Hospital. and the Board of Directors of the West Contra Costa Hospital. District, complimented the Board of Supervisors and. members of the administrative staff of the hospital and health services in their dealing with very difficult issues, noting that he shared those problems as the Administrator of a hospital in San Pablo. He commented that everyone seems to be saying the same thing, and that is that the State of California has shamefully turned its back on health care and the plight of the poor and their access. to adequate health care. He expressed concerns with the impact on the clinics, the County Hospital System and ultimately on the emergency rooms of the hospitals who serve the poor and low income people in the County and the limited funds to deal with such impacts. He noted the need for more services for the poor and indigent in West County and Contra Costa County. He urged the Board to add its voice to those organizations who are trying to get adequate reimbursement and services for the poor as well as trying to deal with the budget cuts now being faced. Philip Bertenthal,. P. O. Box 2.289, Richmond, representing Contra Costa Legal Services Foundation, requested a clarification as to whether the health cuts in the clinic which were noticed for this hearing have been renoticed for October 9, whether the Board desired to have testimony on that issue today. Arthur Walenta, Assistant County Counsel, responded.. Mr. Bertenthal commented on the provisions of Prop. 99 and how those provisions affect the provision of health care provided. by the County. He advised that he wished to comment on four proposed reductions which he believed to most seriously affect his clients, as follows: 1. Reduction of Sexually Transmitted Disease Services, 2 . Reduction of Outpatient Doctors and Nurses, 3 . Elimination of Adult Outpatient Mental Health and 4. Reduction in number of Alcohol Recovery Beds. There being no further speakers, the Chair declared the hearing closed. The County Administrator recommended that staff be directed to come back with findings. Supervisor Torlakson advised that he would move the recommendation, but wished to comment on the difficulty in dealing with the necessity for the lack of funds. He asked staff to furnish information on the management hires in the Health Services Department and any others that are pending so that the Board might analyze those in context with the other priorities. Supervisor McPeak seconded the motion to ask staff to prepare the findings, and reiterated the need for the information requested by Supervisor Torlakson. She noted that there had been a number of requests to postpone cuts until the outcome of the election 3 is known. She urged everyone to support Proposition 134 which would be very, very helpful, and the Family and Children' s Protection Fund that could really make a difference locally. She urged everyone to take back to their organizations the message to support this legislation. She spoke of the features of these measures and how it could help the various agencies by sharing revenues. IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that staff is DIRECTED to prepare appropriate findings for the Board' s consideration. I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors n the dada pown. ATTESTED: 140 /770 PHIL SATCHEL. R.Clerk of the Board of SuperviliKira and Cowry Administrator ga5ad4t ----�•Deputy cc: County Administrator County Counsel Director of Health Services 4