To: Board of Supervisors
From: Anna Roth, Health Services Director
Report Title: Payment for Services Provided by Public Health Foundation Enterprises, Inc. (dba Heluna Health)
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Auditor-Controller, or designee, to pay an amount not to exceed $24,641 to Public Health Foundation Enterprises, Inc. (PHFE) (dba Heluna Health) for contract staff services provided for the Health Ambassador program during the period of August 1, 2024 through September 30, 2024.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this action will result in a one-time expenditure in an amount not to exceed $24,641 and will be 89% funded by the EHSD Workforce Health Grant from California Volunteers in partnership with the Contra Costa Workforce Development Board, and 11% funded by County General Fund budgeted in the current FY.
BACKGROUND:
On October 1, 2022, the Employment and Human Services Department (EHSD) Workforce Development Board entered into an agreement with the Health Services Department to use California Volunteers funding to operate a Community Health Ambassador Program that would employ individuals meeting EHSD program criteria through June 30, 2024. This partnership program provided COVID and other health related outreach and education in our historically marginalized neighborhoods across the county. The state funding allowed the county to hire 30 workforce health ambassadors and 2 project coordinators. The Community Health Ambassador program and EHSD Staff met on a regular basis to ensure monitoring and performance measures in the state grant were upheld. This contract was approved by Health Services Personnel to ensure there is no conflict with labor relations. PHFE was the employer of record for temporary employees (ambassadors & project coordinators) hired for the project.
In June of 2024 the State granted EHSD an extension to use available funding through September 30, 2024. As the end of the term drew closer, we found an opportunity to hire another candidate under EHSD’s personnel and fringe benefits line item at a higher hourly rate than the rates set forth in the contract payment provisions. Unfortunately, this did not allow sufficient time to amend the agreement with PHFE to pay the August and September invoices for that contractor at a higher pay rate than in the contract.
The Contractor provided payroll services at the request of the County even though the hourly pay rate was more than noted in the contract. The Department cannot pay Contractor for services rendered that exceed the rates identified in the payment provisions of the contract. As such, the Department recommends that the Board authorize the Auditor-Controller to issue a one-time payment not to exceed $24,641 to PHFE for services provided.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this request is not approved, PHFE will not be paid for services rendered in good faith.