The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 03182003 - SD3 ....................................................................._____. _ .................................................. ................................................................__.___ .. ......................................................._.....______. _ ............................................ ................................. y FHS #BO ►b.J► TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORSContra FROM: FAMILY AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE G. 'this. Costa' DATE: FEBRUARY 11, 2003 SUBJECT: SAFELY SURRENDERED BABY LAW County SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION Recommendation: 1. DESIGNATE the twelve Health Centers Operated by Contra Costa Health Services and located throughout the County as additional Safely Surrendered Baby sites. 2. DESIGNATE all fire stations operated by County-governed fire districts as additional sites for the Safely Surrendered Baby Law and DIRECT the Chiefs of Contra Costa County Fire, East Contra Costa Fire and Crockett-Carquinez Fire to designate the classes of employees to take custody of surrendered infants as required by the law. 3. REQUEST non-County-governed fire services (El Cerrito Fire Department, Moraga-Orinda Fire District, Pinole Fire Department, Richmond Fire Department, Rodeo-Hercules Fire District, and San Ramon Valley Fire District) to participate in the County's Safely Surrendered Baby program and DIRECT the Chief of Contra Costa County Fire to assist these fire services to work through the implementation details of staff selection and training, as well as governing board agreement, so that they can accept designation by the Board of Supervisors as additional sites. 4. REQUEST Kaiser Permanente to complete their assessment of the feasibility of designation their health centers in Contra Costa as additional sites and, within sixty days, indicate their willingness to be designated by the Board of Supervisors as additional Safely Surrendered Baby sites in Contra Costa County. 5. ACKNOWLEDGE the planning by the Safely Surrendered Baby Task Force concerning staff training and public education and REQUEST the Antioch Women's Club, the Child Abuse Prevention Council, First 5 Contra Costa Children and Families Commission and all task force members to continue their collaboration to provide training to staff, as well as to design and carry out public education activities on the Safely Surrendered Baby law. 6. DIRECT the Human Resources Department to inform all current and new County employees about the Safely Surrendered Baby law and sites in Contra Costa County. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: x YES SIGNAT.fRE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): AIL', FE RAL®. tC}VER HN G101A ACTION OF BOARD ON March 18, 2003 APPROVE AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER X **See attached addendum for Board action** VOTE OF SUPERVISORS �X UNANIMOUS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE (ABSENT,) ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. DISTRICT III SEAT VACANT ATTESTED March 18, 2003 JOHN SWEETEN,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF Contact Person: Mary Foran(5-5016) SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR CC:GAO HSD HR BY DEPUTY FHS#`# 60 a Background: Hospital emergency departments are designated as Safely Surrendered Baby sites under Penal Code Section 271.5. The Safely Surrendered Baby Law permits County Boards of Supervisors to designate, by Board Resolution, sites in addition to hospital emergency departments where parents may voluntarily surrender physical custody of an infant (72 hours old or less). The Antioch 'Women's Club requested the Board to designate additional sites because, currently, there is only one site to serve all of East County. A Task Force was assembled to investigate designating additional sites in the County. The Task Force review of available data confirms that abandoned infants do not occur in particular geographic areas. They can occur in any part of the County. The Contra Costa Health Centers are operated under the same license as the Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, whose emergency department is a state-designated site. The Hospital and Health Centers have promulgated a policy for implementing the law in all sites. Staff has received necessary training on the policy and plan to participate in refresher training as part of the public education campaign described later in this report. The designation of fire stations greatly increases the options for where parents may voluntarily surrender an infant. Because distances to hospitals can be prohibitive, designation of fire stations throughout the County will provide an easily accessible location in every neighborhood for safely surrendering an infant instead of abandoning it. The Antioch Women's Club is assembling receiving kits for distribution to the new sites. The receiving kits include all necessary information, coded identification bracelets and medical history forms to meet the requirements of the law. The task force is preparing training materials that will be available for all additional sites to use in training their staff in the law. The EMS Director has provided Kaiser with information for conducting their feasibility assessment. He and other Health Services staff are available to assist Kaiser Permanente as needed. The Task Force has identified the need for the following levels of education: New Sites - training for staff at newly designated sites on basic content of the law and information to be conveyed to the person surrendering an infant. Provision to all new sites of receiving kits with local resource information, coded identification bracelets and medical history forms in English and Spanish, as well as the Safe Surrender loge entrance door signs. The receiving kits and Safe Surrender logo are being produced, assembled and distributed by the Antioch Women's Club. Pleasant HillBayshore Disposal is providing funding for the costs. Agency Staff-education for staff in County departments and community agencies on basic content of the law, haw it is being implemented in Contra Costa and how it impacts their existing responsibilities for reporting. Key to the education effort will be training for the Contra Costa Crisis Center, which has agreed to have its crisis line phone number printed on the public education materials. The Child'Abuse Prevention Council, through their Community Education Project, will conduct staff training by incorporating Safe Surrender information into their training for mandated reporters, community organizations and parents. General Public -- broad public education on the law using materials adapted from Los Angeles, the State of California and the California First 5 Commission for Children and Families. Flyers, wallet cards and bus cards are planned to be distributed through community based organizations, EHSD- and CCHS-operated or funded programs, libraries, schools and public transportation. First 5 Contra Costa is taking the lead on producing the education materials. The Antioch Women's Club is seeking funds for printing the educational materials and for teacher training kits. The Child Abuse Prevention Council is assessing the possibility of donated space for bus advertising. The Antioch Women's Club has already produced and distributed to all hospitals the Safe Surrender logo for display on their entrance doors. The County employs over 10,500 people who can be resources for neighbors, co-workers, families and friends. Putting information about the Safely Surrendered Baby Law into their hands will help increase the general public's knowledge of safe surrender as an alternative to abandonment. The task force will provide Human Resources with material for distribution. ADDENDUM TO ITEM SD.3 March 18, 2003 On this date,the Board:of Supervisors considered the report by the Family and Human Services Committee regarding the SafelySurrendered Baby Law. Mary Foran, Health Services Department presented the recommendations. The Board of Supervisors discussed the matter and the following issues were raised by Board Members: Supervisor Gioia requested an addition to recommendation#3 that the non-County governed fire services,that includes El Cerrito Fire Department, Moraga-Orinda Fire District,Pinole Fire Department, Richmond Fire Department,Rodeo-Hercules Fire District, San Ramon Valley Fire District and the addition of Kensington Fire Department, coordinate with each district supervisor's office with progress of implementation of the program. Supervisor Uilkema requested that the Fire Commission Board of Directors add to their agenda the Safely Surrendered Baby Law at their next meeting. The Chair then invited those who wished to address the Board regarding this matter. The following person presented testimony: Elizabeth Rimbault, Woman's Club of Antioch, 3100 Windsor Drive, Antioch At this time,the Chair returned the matter to the Board and they took the following action: • ACCEPTED the report from the Family and Human Services Committee on the Safely Surrendered Baby Program; • DESIGNATED the twelve Health Centers operated by Contra Costa Health Services and located throughout the County as additional Safely Surrendered Baby sites and all fire stations operated by County-governed fire districts as additional sites for the Safely Surrendered Baby Law; • DIRECTED the Chiefs of Contra Costa County Fire, East Contra Costa Fire and Crockett-Carquinez Fire Protection Districts to designate the classes of employees to take custody of surrendered infants as required by the law; • REQUESTED non-County-govemed fire services(El Cerrito Fire Department,Moraga- Orinda Fire District,Pinole Fire Department,Richmond Fire Department, Rodeo- Hercules Fire District, San Ramon Valley Fire District, and Kensington Fire Department) participate in the County's Safely Surrendered Baby program and coordinate with each district supervisor's office in regard to progress of implementation of the program; • REQUESTED the Fire Commission Board of Directors add to their agenda the Safely Surrendered Baby Law at their next meeting; • DIRECTED the Chief of Contra Costa County Fire Protection District to assist these fire districts to work through the implementation details of staff selection and training, as well as governing board agreement, so that they can accept designation by the Board of Supervisors as additional sites; • REQUESTED Kaiser Permanente to complete their assessment of the feasibility of designating their health centers in Contra Costa as additional sites and,within sixty days, indicate their willingness to be designated by the Board of Supervisors as additional Safely Surrendered Baby sites in Contra Costa County;