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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 05012001 - C.57 :5►. , q ~E ` Contra TO: BOARD OF SUPERVI ORS ��,F-_- � FROM: William B. Walker, Costa DATE: May 1 2001 ,\'V _. SUBJECT: Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement County SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION: Accept the report from the Health Services Director on the status of the National Tobacco Master Settlement agreement. BACKGROUND: The use of the Tobacco Settlement funding has been the subject of recent Board discussion. The intent of this report is to give a brief update of the historical usage of the program funding and the Tobacco Prevention activities conducted by the Department. The 1998 National Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) requires participating manufacturers to make payments to the state totaling an estimated $206 billion nationally through 2025. California is projected to receive an estimated $25 billion during that period. Fifty percent of the monies received by the State are distributed to the counties. Contra Costa receives approximately 2.4% of the funds disbursed to the counties. Currently, there are no legal restrictions on the use of these funds. The Board of Supervisors has appropriated 100% of the settlement monies to support the delivery of health care services. The Department received $3.8 million in FY 98/99; $8.7 million in FY 99/00; and anticipates receiving $9.2 million in FY 00/01. Revenues are expected to increase minimally in future years, but with only two years into the program, revenues have already experienced a decline from earlier estimates due to a faster decrease in the incidence of smoking than previously anticipated. The MSA funds are used for the provision of health care services to the indigent and the uninsured population served by the Health Department. The MSA funds subsidized declining Proposition 99 revenues; SB-855 Disproportionate Share Hospital funding; low growth in Realignment funding; and the rising cost of medical care items such as the 39% growth in the price of pharmaceuticals over the last three years. Additionally, the settlement funding allowed for the expansion of the Basic Adult Care Program (the indigent care program) to 300% of the federal income poverty level. The MSA funds have insured the maintenance and stability of services to the indigent population during a time of eroding health care funding. This highly vulnerable population can receive a full range of health care services at the County's Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, the county operated health clinics, mental health clinics and public health clinics. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: ------------- ---------------------------=-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE _ ✓APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): --------------------- -- - ------ -- - -- -- - -- ------------------ ACTION OF BOA o May 1, 2001 APPROVE AS RECOMMENDED XX OTHER See attached Addenun for Board action and vote. VOTF OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN UNAN US(ABSENT AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE AYES: NOES: SHOWN. ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ATTESTEDMa�1, 20012001 �ACT: Patrrick Godley-370-5005 JOHN SWEETEN,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR CC: Patrick Godley,20 Allen St. Health Services Administration,20 Allen BY `-' DEPUTY I -2- PREVENTION: The Tobacco Prevention Project is part of the Community Wellness and Prevention Program in the Public Health Division. The Project is responsible for a number of tobacco prevention initiatives, including the following specific components: • Developing TIGHT (Tobacco Industry Gets Hammered by Teens), an innovative youth leadership initiative. Over the past three years, Project staff has worked with TIGHT and the Tobacco Prevention Coalition to pass the Tobacco-Free Youth Ordinance in 15 cities across the County. The Tobacco-Free Youth Ordinance is a powerful tool to decrease youth demand for tobacco through advertisement restrictions and to decrease youth access to tobacco products through self-service display bans. TIGHT has been recognized nationally for its approach to youth leadership development, and recently the California Department of Health Services requested that the Contra Costa Tobacco Prevention Project contract to provide technical assistance services to other tobacco prevention advocacy groups in the State. We expect to receive additional funding from the State to provide this consultation, as well as to expand TIGHT and our department's broader Youth initiative. Implementing the "No Smoking in Doorways" policy for the Health Services buildings. This initiative required obtaining the support of all bargaining units and allocation of resources for extensive signage and designation of outdoor shelters for smokers. Increasing compliance with workplace clean indoor air laws, including staffing complaint line, following up with business owners to obtain compliance, and developing additional resources to support more consistent enforcement. Training staff that do perinatal and early childhood home visits to help families create smoke free environments for their children, including support for smoking cessation and reducing exposure of children to secondhand smoke. Decreasing tobacco industry influences through funding the American Lung Association of the East Bay to educate merchants in the County on tobacco sales laws. They reached 50 merchants and through that work developed the "Merchants Alliance" which assisted with the passage of the Tobacco Free Youth Ordinance. Decreasing tobacco industry influences on youth through funding the Center for Human Development (CHD) to work with schools. In the Mt. Diablo Unified School District, CHID worked with one high school and one middle school to eliminate on- campus tobacco images. In addition, CHID trained staff from eight high schools to lead tobacco cessation program for youth on campus. Working to expand free/low cost tobacco cessation resources for pregnant women and new parents by consulting with Family, Maternal and Child Health staff on models for effective programs. Providing staff support and skills development for the Tobacco Prevention Coalition, an active & effective coalition of community organizations and volunteer residents devoted to advocating for tobacco prevention policies and programs. Coalition members have been instrumental in educating merchants, gaining agreements to create smoke free family events, increasing clean indoor air compliance, and convincing youth organizations to refuse tobacco industry funding. Skill building trainings for the Coalition have included public speaking, media advocacy, in-store advertising, legal updates and reaching out to non-traditional partners. The staff and Coalition recently completed a countywide assessment of tobacco prevention efforts and is in the midst of setting priorities for the future. The Department is very proud of the work by Tobacco Prevention Program staff and impressed with the effectiveness of the Tobacco Prevention Coalition. We intend to continue to be a model for the State. To that end, we are examining how to direct sufficient funds to Tobacco Prevention to sustain current work, as well to enhance the model youth programs and create more cessation resources. Grants and contracts are anticipated from a number of sources to expand youth organizing and enforcement work. In addition, the staff will be working with the Coalition to set priorities for future spending of Mangini funds. (Funds from the lawsuit award in 1997, which the Board designated for youth tobacco prevention). -3- 4I,n Octaber 2000, the Health Services Department reported to the Family and Human Services on the Tobacco Master Settlement funding levels and use. At that time, the Committee directed the Health Services to return to the full Board of Supervisors during budget hearings with a status report on Tobacco Settlement funding levels and Tobacco prevention activities. The Health Services Department will address this issue during the budget cycle. ADDENDUM TO ITEM C.57 May 1, 2001 On this date, the Board of Supervisors considered Consent Item C.57, a report from the Health Services Director on the status of the National Tobacco Master Settlement agreement. During the discussion of the Consent calendar, three speakers presented Request to Speak forms on this matter. On SD.1, the matter was considered for discussion. Chair Uilkema advised there were three speakers, and opened public comment on C.57. The following people spoke: Paul Fletcher, 1201 Monument Blvd., #60, Concord, of the Tobacco Prevention Coalition; Eric Besag, 101 Glen Court, Walnut Creek; and Nancy Charles-Northington, P.O. Box 1464, Pittsburg, Tobacco Prevention Coalition. All those desiring to speak having been heard, the Board discussed the matter. Following the Board's discussion, Supervisor Gerber moved to accept the staff report, and Supervisor Gioia seconded it. The Board then took the following vote. AYES: SUPERVISORS GIOIA, GERBER, DeSAULNIER, GLOVER and UILKEMA NOES: NONE ABSENT: NONE ABSTAIN: NONE