To: Board of Supervisors
From: Anna Roth, Health Services Director
Report Title: Appointments and Reappointment to the Los Medanos Health Advisory Committee
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPOINT the following individuals to seats on the Los Medanos Health Advisory Committee with term expiration dates of December 31, 2027:
Angelica Lopez to City of Pittsburg Seat 2
REAPPOINT Christopher Pedraza to the Health Services, Behavioral Health Division Seat on the Los Medanos Health Advisory Committee with a term ending December 31, 2027.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact for this action.
BACKGROUND:
The Los Medanos Community Health Advisory Committee (the "LMHAC") was created by the Board of Supervisors in 2018 as pursuant to the terms and conditions approved by LAFCo to dissolve the LMCHD. The purpose of the LMHAC is to:
1. Develop an area health plan that identifies the major health disparities that impact residents of the former LMCHD service area and establishes priorities for improving health outcomes. The plan will be presented to the Board of Supervisors for review and will not be final unless adopted by the Board of Supervisors. The LMHAC shall submit an updated plan for approval by the Board of Supervisors no less than every five years.
2. Solicit proposals from service providers that are interested in participating in the Los Medanos Area Health Plan Service Program (the "Service Program") and are capable of addressing the priorities outlined in the adopted plan. Funding for grants will be provided from (i) a special fund established by the Auditor-Controller, at the direction of the Board of Supervisors, that is used to segregate the property tax revenue received by the County as a result of the dissolution of the District, and (ii) any other funds made available to the grant program (e.g. through restricted donations, grants, etc.).
3. Monitor the efficacy of the programs funded by the grant program.
4. Report to the Board of Supervisors no less than once per year on the execution of the adopted plan, the grants provided under the grant program, the results achieved through the adopted plan and the grant program, and other matters that relate to the LMHAC's purpose and duties.
Appointment to the Los Medanos Health Advisory Committee
The LMHAC is composed of seven seats nominated to the Board of Supervisors by the following: (2) from the Pittsburg City Council, (2) from the Bay Point Municipal Advisory Council (MAC), (2) from the Health Services Department (one from Public Health and one from Behavioral Health) and (1) from the Internal Operations Committee of the Board of Supervisors.
Pittsburg City Council. On January 22, 2025, the Council approved a Minute Order for 2025 Council Member Committee Assignments nominating one member of the City Council to serve on the LMHAC. On January 23, 2025 the Heath Department was informed that Angelica Lopez would fill Seat 2 with a term ending December 31, 2027.
Angelica Lopez (Pittsburg City Council) was raised in the City of Pittsburg. She earned her Juris Doctor Degree from John F. Kennedy University and is licensed to practice Law in the State of California. Angelica owns her own law firm with a focus on family law. Prior to her career, she worked in finance, business growth, business development, non-profits, and co-created a real estate software.
Angelica currently serves on the City Council’s Life Enrichment, and Public Safety Subcommittees. She also serves as a city representative on the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy Board, 2x2 School District Committee, and Pittsburg Police Activities League.
Health Services Department. The LMHAC includes two representatives from the Health Services department to ensure that both clinical expertise and knowledge of the current publicly provided healthcare infrastructure is present during discussion of how best to recommend funding allocations for former LMCHD property tax revenue to the Board of Supervisors. The Health Services Director recommends Christopher Pedraza for reappointment to the Behavioral Health Seat on the LMHAC with a term ending December 31, 2027.
Christopher Pedraza (Contra Costa Health - Behavioral Health). Mr. Pedraza has worked in the Behavioral Health community for over 18 years with the majority of the time being focused on Substance Use Disorders (SUD). Since coming to Contra Costa Behavioral Health Services eight years ago, Christopher has overseen the creation and negotiation of all Drug Medi-Cal contracts as part of the Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System and, more recently Medi-Cal funded Specialty Mental Health Services contracts as well. Along with the contract oversight, Christopher continues to support Behavioral Health through the implementation of Payment Reform as part of the CALAIM initiative.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this action nis not approved, appointments to the Los Medanos Health Advisory Committee will not be made, resulting in three vacant seats on the Committee which will challenge the committee in making quorum and completing the duties of the committee.