Title
Public Health Department recommending the implemention of the Medical Marijuana Identification Card Program (MMICP) with said Department to serve as local administrator of same; and recommending said Department to return to the Board at a later date with a new fee resolution contingent upon review by County Counsel.
Body
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost: None.
Background: On February 13, 2007, Public Health presented to the Board the Medical Marijuana Identification Card Program (MMICP), developed and administered by the California Department of Health Services (CDHS). The Program allows California counties to issue special identification cards and to access an online database to track and police the use of medicinal marijuana within their jurisdictions. The Department requested direction from the Board on how to proceed with the Program. The Board informed Public Health that it would research the Program independently in greater detail, after which it would direct the Department further.
Since that meeting, the MMICP has been modified. Specifically, the State application fee has been reduced from $142/applicant to $66/applicant. The rate has fluctuated over the last few months due to cover the costs of purchasing, building and maintaining the States website/database; printing and supplying the ID cards; and staffing the program. The original State projections on both the level of participation within each County, and participation by each County, were over-estimated and did not cover these costs. Response to the increase was very negative, so the State took steps to control costs and reduced staff. It was able to lower the State portion of the ID card rate to $66 ($33 for Medi-Cal participants).
Given the State's application fee, the County's fee for each ID card shall be $122.33. The fee is based on the EMS Agency providing services and is broken out the following way:
Total by character set |
|
Salaries & Benefits |
$3,711.36 |
Services & Supplies |
2,142.42 |
Other Charges |
271.98 |
Intrafund Transfers |
634.00 |
|
|
|
$6,759.76 |
|
|
TOTAL COUNTY ESTIMATED EXPENSES (based on above) |
$6,759.76 |
Remittance to State ($66 per application as of Dec '06) |
$7,920.00 |
Total cost of El Dorado Medical Marijuana Program |
$14,679.76 |
Estimated # of Cards issued per year |
120 |
Estimated Fee Per Application |
$122.33 |
The County is responsible for maintaining application records and data security for the life of each card issued, which is one year. Records must be available for access in the case of a modification or renewal of an existing card. Paper applications, which will contain information, such as name, address, and phone number, may be transferred to an electronic medium but must still be maintained by the County. The State will maintain a database tracking other relevant information, such as:
· Whether the card is new or a renewal
· The name of the patient, or the caregiver
· Whether or not the cardholder is a Medi-Cal recipient
· The County of residence and County program telephone number
· A photograph of the cardholder
· A unique ID number created by the database.
Counties now participating in the program, as of April 2, 2007, are listed below. The list also gives a historical account of County participation since August of 2006.
8/1/2006 |
12/11/2006 |
4/2/2007 |
Alameda County |
Alameda County |
Alameda County |
Amador County |
Amador County |
Amador County |
Calaveras County |
Calaveras County |
Butte County |
Contra Costa County |
Contra Costa County |
Calaveras County |
Del Norte County |
Del Norte County |
Contra Costa County |
Humboldt County |
Humboldt County |
Del Norte County |
Kern County |
Imperial County |
Humboldt County |
Marin County |
Kern County |
Imperial County |
Mendocino County |
Marin County |
Kern County |
Napa County |
Mendocino County |
Marin County |
Riverside County |
Napa County |
Mendocino County |
San Francisco County |
Riverside County |
Napa County |
San Mateo County |
San Benito County |
Plumas County |
Santa Barbara County |
San Francisco County |
Riverside County |
Santa Clara County |
San Luis Obispo County |
San Benito County |
Shasta County |
San Mateo County |
San Francisco County |
Sierra County |
Santa Barbara County |
San Luis Obispo County |
Sonoma County |
Santa Clara County |
San Mateo County |
Tehama County |
Shasta County |
Santa Barbara County |
Trinity County |
Sierra County |
Santa Clara County |
Tulare County |
Sonoma County |
Shasta County |
|
Tehama County |
Sierra County |
|
Trinity County |
Sonoma County |
|
Tulare County |
Tehama County |
|
|
Trinity County |
|
|
Tulare County |
|
|
|
21 |
24 |
26 |
Action to be taken by Board following presentation: Provide direction to staff to implement MMICP; confirm selection of Public Health as local administrator; instruct Public Health to return to Board with a new fee resolution contingent upon County Counsel review; and provide any other information or action as desired.
Contact: Dan Buffalo
Concurrences: