Title
Health and Human Services Agency and Human Resources Department recommending the Board approve the following:
1) A new class specification for the Health and Human Services Agency: Director of Public Health;
2) The revised class specification for the Public Health Officer classification; and
3) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 043-2021 to approve the following:
a) The job class number, bargaining unit, and salary range for the Director of Public Health; and
b) The addition of 1.0 full time equivalent (FTE) Director of Public Health allocation in the Health and Human Services Agency.
FUNDING: Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases (ELC) ELC Round 2 Grant funding for three years; thereafter Public Health Realignment.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
El Dorado County Public Health had historically been led by two separate classifications as its leadership structure, a Public Health Officer and a Health Director. On November 1, 2011, an integrated Health and Human Services Agency was created, leading to responsibilities previously held by the Health Director to mostly shift to the Public Health Officer, with a small amount shifting to the new HHSA Director. As this shift occurred, the Public Health Officer assumed responsibility for all County-wide Public Health related activities in addition to the Public Health division and staffing, now within Health and Human Services. Over time, it became clear that the responsibilities for each of the two classifications were far different, requiring varying skillsets and backgrounds, as noted below:
1) Public Health Officer
- Medical knowledge to supervise clinical staff, review clinical protocols, issue standing orders, and provide clinical consultation to public health staff
- In-depth understanding of public-health topics, and ability to assess complicated issues and advise county leaders or community partners
- Ability to establish professional relationships with other medical providers and systems in the community
- Responsible as official birth and death registrar for the County of El Dorado
- Responsible for assessing quality of health care of jail inmates
- Professional collaboration with environmental health program
- Consultation on issues of veterinary health and human exposures to animals
- Skill in interpreting scientific and medical publications, assessing, and conveying technical information in language appropriate whether to medical professionals, public health colleagues, or general-public audiences
- Ability to serve as lab director for up to moderate-complexity laboratory testing if performed by El Dorado County Public Health.
2) Director of Public Health
- Program management and supervisory skills
- Optimization of public health resources (i.e. staff, funding, space, etc.) with respect to program needs
- Budgetary skills, including grant-related decisions, planning, and oversight
- Participation in agency-level or county-level administrative activities like policy development, issue resolution, etc.
- Strategic planning
- Quality improvement, performance management
- All-staff communication, team-building, and motivation
- Maintaining agency, interagency and community partnership collaboration, to maximize program delivery and leverage resources
- Evaluation of programs, to maximize outcomes and identify fiscal and delivery efficiencies
In consultation with HHSA, and with acknowledgement of the differing and diverse skillsets and backgrounds needed for the Public Health Officer and a Director of Public Health, Human Resources revised and updated the class specifications for these positions to align more closely with the above-noted responsibilities and skillsets, as follows:
Public Health Officer:
This classification has overall responsibility for managing, planning, organizing, and administration of County-wide public health, communicable disease, clinic, and emergency preparedness services as set forth in the California Health and Safety Code. In addition, they will be directing the enforcement of federal, state and local health laws and regulations, as well as combating and preventing the spread of communicable diseases. The Public Health Officer represents the County as a member of the California Conference of Local Health Officers, a board affiliated with the California Department of Public Health.
Director of Public Health:
This classification has overall responsibility for the development, oversight, and implementation of projects, programs, and services associated with all public health activities through the Public Health division. Responsibilities include accountability for and optimization of public health staffing and resources, budgetary oversight, accomplishing division and Agency goals and objectives, as well as directing the coordination of activities of the division with those of other County divisions and departments, as well as outside agencies.
The described separation of duties and responsibilities would provide the Public Health Officer with the necessary time to focus on the duties set forth in California Health and Safety Code. It would also allow for Public Health programs to be overseen by a Director with a professional background in managing Public Health staff and services activities to ensure the meeting of County mandates. The proposed salary is in alignment with the current compensation philosophy for Unrepresented Management and avoids compaction issues within the reporting structures.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose not to adopt the new class specifications or approve the new allocation or direct staff to make revisions. This is not recommended as Human Resources and HHSA have analyzed and determined that the skillsets of these two positions are clearly different, and by differentiating their duties as described in this item, efficiencies can be quickly made in Public Health for the benefit of the Agency and greater community.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
For the remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2020-21 the fully burdened cost is approximately $41,600 with sufficient appropriations within the FY 2020-21 HHSA Budget to cover the cost. The fully burdened $249,500 approximate annual cost of the Public Health Director position has been included in HHSA’s FY 2021-22 Budget request.
There is no Net County Cost associated with this Board item. The ELC-2 grant will fund this position for the first three years, effective the start date of the selected candidate; thereafter, Public Health Realignment will be used to fund the cost of this position.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Upon Board adoption and approval, please provide the fully executed Resolution to Lauren Montalvo in Human Resources, with a copy to HHSA Contracts Unit at 3057 Briw Road, Suite B.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Good Governance
CONTACT
Joseph Carruesco, Interim Director of Human Resources
Don Semon, Director, Health and Human Services Agency