Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

Mental Health Services Act Forum Dec. 7 in Brentwood

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WHAT: Contra Costa Behavioral Health Services, a division of Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS), invites anyone interested in discussing local public mental health services to participate in a public forum Thursday, Dec. 7, in Brentwood.

The forum offers the opportunity to meet with service providers to discuss current issues relevant to providing mental health care in the community. These discussions will help inform future use of local Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funding.

WHO: All members of the public are welcome, including participants in mental health services, their family members and service providers.

RSVP to attend a forum by emailing mhsa@hsd.cccounty.us – please include “MHSA Forum” in the subject line – or by telephoning 925-957-5150.

Attendees may also mail RSVPs to MHSA, 1340 Arnold Drive, Suite 200, Martinez, CA 94553.

WHEN: Thursday, December 7: 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Brentwood Community Center, 35 Oak Street in Brentwood.

WHY: Contra Costa County’s current MHSA budget provides $51.6 million to more than 80 mental health programs and services. Forum goals include identifying service needs, priorities and strategies to inform the county’s MHSA Three-Year Program and Expenditure Plan.

The forum will include an overview of how MHSA works and how funding is currently used in Contra Costa.

Visit www.cchealth.org/mentalhealth/mhsa to read the plan and other information about the MHSA in Contra Costa.

Supervisors vote 5-0 to dissolve Los Medanos Healthcare District, send to LAFCo for final decision

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The Los Medanos Community Healthcare District building, formerly Los Medanos Hospital. Photo from the LMCHD Facebook page.

“The need for a healthcare district board of directors has come and gone.” – Supervisor Federal Glover

By Daniel Borsuk

The little heard of governmental entity dubbed the Contra Costa Local Agency Formational Commission (CCLAFCo) will consider either at its February or April 2018 meeting a resolution unanimously passed by the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to dissolve the financially troubled Los Medanos Community Healthcare District (LMCHD).

Established in 1963 by the state legislature to sort out local governmental agency boundary issues and other inter-county government problems, every county in the state has a local agency formation commission.  The CCLAFCo consists of seven voting members, with two members representing the board of supervisors, two members representing city councils, two representing special district boards and one public member.

In this instance, Board of Supervisors Chair Federal Glover, who represents Pittsburg and Bay Point which are the two communities served by LMCHD, and District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen have already voted to dissolve the LMCHD and both serve on the CCLAFCo board and will have a second opportunity to vote on the issue when it comes before the commission.  District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood also serves as an alternate to the CCLAFCo only when either Glover or Andersen cannot attend a meeting.

On its face there seems to be a potential conflict of interest or perhaps not.

CCLAFCo Executive Administrator Lou Anne Texeira told the Herald that when this item comes up, the two supervisors can vote on the issue and will not have to recuse themselves as long as they have no financial stake in their action.

“There is no law or rule that bars them from voting on the matter again,” Texeira said.  “They do have the option to recuse themselves when the matter comes up for a vote if they so choose to do so.”

“All of this will be considered before LAFCo,” said Glover before the supervisors’ vote.  “The need for a healthcare district board of directors has come and gone.  I accept the staff’s recommendation.”

At Tuesday’s supervisors meeting, the decision to approve the County Administrator’s Office recommendation took less than 20 minutes.

LMCHD Executive Director Godfrey L. Wilson admitted he was caught off guard that the board of supervisors were considering dissolving the financially struggling healthcare district in this manner by placing the issue on the board’s agenda.

Recent financial data indicates the healthcare district that serves Pittsburg and Bay Point is not perking along well.  The district had healthcare grant programs, which are the district’s core operation of $268,569 or 25 percent of total revenues of $1,060,330.  At the same time, district financial records show general administration costs, including board member stipends represented 33 percent of the district’s expenses or $345,383.

When asked what way CCLAFCo may vote when the issues come before that panel next year, LMCHD Executive Director Wilson responded in an unoptimistic manner, “I think some people have already made up their minds on that issue.”

The county health department that has operated the Pittsburg Health Clinic at the 130,000-square foot building at 2311 Loveridge Road since 1998 will continue to operate the health clinic that is the most successful clinic in the county treating more than 100,000 patients a year.

The county has paid $100,000 a year in rent to the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development for use of the Loveridge Road property.  In addition, the county has paid the state $24 million for capital improvements to the building on Loveridge Road.

The county-run Pittsburg Health Center accounts for 65 percent of all clinic visits in East Contra Costa County.  The clinic provides primary adult care as well as pediatrics care, audiology, orthopedics, podiatry, and dental care services.

How Contra Costa’s elderly can improve their memory

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Photo by Hermes Rivera

By June Brown   

Antioch’s elderly population is merely 9% and of this figure, 20% are living alone according to SeniorCare.com. Living alone has many implications including loneliness, isolation and even memory problems. While aging is a normal process, there are things that can be done about memory failure. The good news is there are ways to boost memory and for seniors who are living solo, it helps if memory is intact improving quality of life and their safety.

Lifestyle Changes

Who says no one can change bad habits even if already old? For the elderly, now is a great time to think about those lifestyle changes. There are several ways to enhance and improve memory and one of them is to follow healthy diets and exercise.

Eating well-balanced meals, including lots of greens and fruits as well as important omega-3 fatty acids can keep brains alive and healthy. A diet rich in proteins, lean in carbohydrates and low in bad fats helps brain cells which in turn promotes good memory.

Antioch has an abundance of fresh food markets such as Kaiser Permanente Antioch Farmers’Market, Brentwood and Pittsburg Markets. Eventbrite is a good source of food and drink events in Antioch where seniors can go such as the upcoming Fall Harvest Festival 2017 and the Acorn Workshop.

Studies also validate that exercise and getting into physical movement can reduce sedentary living which can lead to diseases such as heart attacks, high blood pressure or certain types of cancers. If every senior works out at least 150 minutes a week, it would boost memory and thinking skills (Harvard Health Blog, 2014).

Antioch offers many gyms where the elderly can exercise. There are parks for quiet walks and relaxation. Contra Costa Canal Trail and Contra Loma Regional Park & Swimming Lagoon are great places to go for a walk, hike or a swim. There are golf, bowling and skating facilities for sports lovers and active seniors.

Brain Games and Exercises

The brain like any other part of the body needs to work out. Stimulation is part of keeping brain cells healthy and strong. There are many ways older adults can boost brain power and improve memory with simple daily tasks such as reading and doing crossword puzzles.  Playing chess, trying computer games, and learning new things (language, sewing or musical instruments) also help. By being mentally active, the brain remains sharp slowing down its degradation over time or as one ages.

Socialization

Another factor that contributes to memory retention is socialization. Isolation is not a positive thing as it brings depression, anxiety and stress, factors that contribute to memory loss. Meeting new people whether by going to functions, eating together or volunteering at charities prevents negative psychological effects improving mood, memory and cognitive function. There is a correlation between socialization and dementia incidence. The longer the brain stays inactive, the more likely it will stagnate. Social engagement is important to keep it functioning well. It also forces people to respond and the brain to react.

The Antioch Community Center and Southeast Community Center organize activities for older adults to do things together.  They also hold social events on a regular basis. Older adults can also try some of the restaurants that won in the 2017Antioch People’s Awards after a night of bingo. Consider China City for Chinese or go to Celia’s for Mexican. The object is get out more often, meet people and do things together whether it is a haircut at Reign Salon or a massage at Relaxing Station.

Lifestyle changes, brain exercises and socialization are activities that older adults can easily do to improve memory. Enhanced memory also improves the quality of life, something every senior cherishes as the journey continues.

Supervisors OK private residential medical marijuana cultivation, storage and sale

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By Daniel Borsuk

Contra Costa County Supervisors unanimously passed an ordinance on Tuesday that will allow homeowners living in unincorporated areas of the county to cultivate, store, manufacture, transport and sell medical cannabis from their properties.

The hitch is that the homeowner can grow no more than six cannabis plants on each residential property.

The new law that met scant opposition will go into effect Nov. 24.

The ordinance requires that living cannabis plants in excess of 28.5 grams must be kept in a locked space, enclosed, and must not be visible to the public.

Only persons 21 years or older may be allowed to perform any of the activities included in the ordinance, such as cultivation, delivery, sales, and storage.

The ordinance is in compliance with the Nov. 8 2016 voter approved Proposition 64, which enacted the Control, Regulate, and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act (CRTAUMA).

The new residential cannabis ordinance is the county’s first salvo in how the county plans to regulate every aspect of the legal commercialized cannabis market.

Contra Costa County is not expected to complete implementation of CRTAUMA until at least after November 2018 when supervisors will place a cannabis tax measure on the ballot for voters to act on.

At Tuesday’s meeting, supervisors, reviewed a wide range of tax proposals presented by Mark Lovelace of the consulting firm HdL Companies.

Lovelace , who said Contra Costa like most other California counties is moving along in compliance with CRTAUMA, presented to supervisors a variety of tax scenarios set at 3 percent, 5 percent and 7 percent, but noted the cumulative tax impact on cannabis retailers, wholesalers and distributors the costs could be as high as 29.5 percent.

For Contra Costa, which could be a major cannabis manufacturing hub with 5 to 20 manufacturers, Lovelace said at a 3 percent tax rate the county could potentially generate $1.27 million in tax revenue a year.  At 5 percent the county could draw $1.87 million and at 7 percent the county could ring up $2.75 million.

With that revealed, District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis commented, “Five percent is a good conservative number.”

But Supervisor Karen Mitchoff seemed she could go with a higher tax rate when the supervisor for District 4 remarked, “I want to do whatever needs to be done to maximize tax revenue.”

Business owner Ben Zachery warned supervisors to not go heavy on taxes and regulations during the public hearing.

“Sixty percent of your constituents approved Proposition 64,” he said.  “Don’t slap on strict rules and big taxes on cannabis.”

But Jane Rich called on supervisors to not implement CRTAUMA.

“Make marijuana an unwelcomed drug in Contra Costa County,” she said. “It’s a real issue.  You have to question about the delivery of marijuana to those under 21.”

Next month, county planners are expected to unveil a revised draft of the cannabis ordinance that will address issues like prioritizing requests for proposals, establishing buffer zones, and imposing restrictions on cannabis deliveries.

Supervisors Approve $47 Million Rehabilitation Project

Supervisors unanimously approved as a consent item a $47 million proposal from Monterey Venture Ltd. to acquire and rehabilitate the 324-unit apartment complex at 680 37th Street in Richmond.  Monterey Venture Ltd. is a subsidiary of MRK Partners.   Monterey Venture received tax exempt financing for the rehabilitation project through the California Municipal Finance Authority.

 

Contra Costa Health Plan recognized for customer service, quality care

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The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the national evaluator of health plans, has recognized Contra Costa Health Plan (CCHP) for delivering exceptional service and clinical quality.

CCHP, which offers a full range of health services to more than 200,000 patients in Contra Costa, became one of only four Medi-Cal plans to earn “Commendable” status from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) this year.

“The NCQA is a standard-setter in the health plan industry, and it is gratifying to know we measure up well,” said Patricia Tanquary, CCHP’s Chief Executive Officer. “This new designation reflects the quality outcomes and commitment of our staff, and our organizational culture of improvement.”

The NCQA is a national nonprofit that accredits and certifies a wide range of healthcare organizations and medical practices.

To achieve this designation, CCHP submitted to a rigorous accreditation process from a team of doctors and health plan experts. The accreditation included how well the health plan managed all parts of its delivery system, with its doctors, clinics and hospitals and administrative services, to continuously improve the quality of care and services for its patients.

Accreditation standards include evaluation of service accessibility for patients, quality of care including how the plan uses patient feedback, services for wellness/prevention, and care coordination services for members who are living with chronic illnesses.

“Achieving an accreditation status of Commendable from NCQA is a sign that a health plan is serious about quality. It is awarded to plans whose service and clinical quality meet or exceed NCQA’s rigorous requirements for consumer protection and quality improvement,” NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane said.

CCHP has provided high-quality, affordable care to Contra Costa residents for 43 years, and was the nation’s first federally-qualified, state-licensed, county-sponsored HMO. Through the Affordable Care Act, CCHP has enrolled more than 70,000 people into Medi-Cal Managed Care since 2014.

Desaulnier, Oversight Committee Members demand answers about DEA’s relationship with Big Pharma

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Washington, DC – On Thursday, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) and Democratic Members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Representatives, Jim Cooper (TN-05), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), and Matt Cartwright (PA-17), sent a letter to the Acting Director of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) demanding answers about the agency’s failure to disclose its concerns about efforts that would make it easier for drug distributors to break the law. The letter comes on the heels of the troubling reports by The Washington Post and 60 Minutes that former high-ranking DEA officials authored and deceptively marketed legislation that undermines the agency’s ability to prevent companies from filling suspicious orders for large quantities of opioids.

“The DEA, charged with enforcing our nation’s drug laws, has not prevented the flow of opioids that posed an ‘imminent danger’ to communities across the country. This was due in large part to former DEA officials who left the agency, went to work for pharmaceutical companies manufacturing opioids, and launched a lobbying effort to slow DEA enforcement of these narcotics. Congress has a duty and obligation to fully investigate what happened, and we are calling on DEA to produce information detailing its interactions with Congress and the Administration, and disclose all ‘revolving door’ relationships between DEA and the pharmaceutical industry over the last 10 years,” said DeSaulnier.

The full text of the letter can be found here.

Advocates, County Supervisors bash popular Laura’s Law mental health program report

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Advocates, Supervisors bash popular Laura’s Law mental health program report

By Daniel Borsuk

A popular county mental health program was on the receiving end of criticism from supervisors, mental health advocates and parents of persons afflicted with mental health disease who cited how the $2.25 million a year Assisted Outpatient Treatment Program needs to be repaired.

On a 5-0 vote, supervisors Tuesday approved the July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017 annual report from Mental Health Services officials on the county’s Assisted Outpatient Treatment Program, even though Mental Health Services Administration Program Manager Warren Hayes attempted to put a positive spin on the five-year old program that generated an ample amount of criticism from supervisors and mental health watchdog advocates alike.

The popular AOT program is a product of the implementation of Laura’s Law about 5 years ago.   While AOT has gained its fair share of advocates, it has been tagged with criticism mostly associated with its bureaucratic regulations and time delays.

Antioch resident Douglas Dunn blasted the way county “unnecessarily duplicates” activities for applicants needing AOT services.  This limits the number of people admitted to receive mental health services, said Dunn, who also serves as a commissioner on the Contra Costa County Mental Health Commission.

In the 2016-17 year, county mental health officials had 177 individuals referred to the AOT, 42 persons were determined to meet program eligibility and were referred to Mental Health Services for inclusion in the program.

The department reported that 25 AOT cases are still pending.  In addition, 91 cases are closed because they are not AOT eligible due to several factors such as mental health officials are unable to contact the prospective client or the client is unwilling to cooperate with county mental health workers.

The bureaucracy involved in getting persons potentially admitted into AOT drove Sharon Madison, a parent who also serves on the National Alliance on Mental Illness, to plead with supervisors “Let’s get our loved ones into treatment.  It’s taking way too long to get people into the program.”

The county report indicates it takes more than 120 days per case to reach resolution.

“A number of individual cases are taking much longer than 120 days from referral to service,” the report stated. “The program may wish to consider utilizing the court petition sooner as a means to encourage participation in mental health care.”

District 1 Supervisor John Gioia criticized the AOT report for not adequately addressing the county’s mental health problems with the homeless population.

“I want a special report on the homeless population to be prepared,” Gioia demanded. But the likelihood that such a report will materialize is doubtful because few of the supervisor’s colleagues supported his request at least publicly.

District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen said the program needs to take into consideration those who might be eligible for AOT services are held in county’s jails.

2018 Board Calendar Approved

Without batting an eye, supervisors approved a 2018 calendar, a schedule that calls for 36 regularly scheduled board meetings and 17 canceled board meetings due to a variety of reasons such as major holidays like Christmas Day, because it will be celebrated on Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2018.

So far, this year, supervisors are scoring a solid 96 percent attendance record when it comes to conducting county business.   Supervisors have canceled one regularly scheduled board meeting, the Oct. 10 meeting, mainly because there were not enough items to place on the agenda, according to Board Chair Federal Glover.

Another factor, but not necessarily an overriding reason why the Oct. 10 meeting was canceled was because Glover was in Atlanta, Georgia attending an American Public Transportation Association conference.  District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood was also supposed to attend the transit conference, but the Contra Costa Herald learned, Burgis decided not to attend the confab at the last minute.

Other Business

In other business, supervisors unanimously approved as a consent item for $585,000 of private foundation grant funds for the Stand Together CoCo Project that the supervisors recently approved to provide legal services for undocumented residents of Contra Costa County. (See related article)

The county public defender’s office is spearheading the program on behalf of the county, but the five private foundations that are stepping up to the plate in doling out funds to support the program in its initial year’s rollout requested that the county pony up $500,000 to jump start the first year of the ambitious program.

Private donations include a $275,000 grant for 24 months from the Y&H Soda Foundation, a 12-month $100,000 SF Foundation grant, a $100,000 grant from The California Endowment, a $50,000 East Bay Community Foundation grant to go into effect July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019, a $50,000 Firedoll Foundation grant, and a $10,000 Richmond Community Foundation grant.

In another consent action, supervisors approved the Public Defender’s Office request to fill the $94,956 a year administrative analyst position to manage cases associated with the Stand Together CoCo program.

Community college district reopens campuses in Contra Costa County

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Contra Costa College, Diablo Valley College-Pleasant Hill Campus, Diablo Valley College-San Ramon Campus, Los Medanos College-Pittsburg Campus, Los Medanos College-Brentwood Center, will resume a regular class schedule and student services beginning today, Friday, October 13.  Outdoor sport activities will continue to be limited until further notice, but indoor activities including theater performances will still be held as scheduled.

The weather forecast for this weekend calls for increasing winds that may hamper firefighting efforts and contribute to poor air quality.  We encourage students and staff to continue monitoring email, website and social media over the weekend for any updates.

County college district closes schools due to poor air quality

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Contra Costa College, Diablo Valley College, Los Medanos College, and centers at Brentwood and San Ramon, will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, October 12, due to poor air quality as a result of the fires in Solano and Sonoma counties.

The District will evaluate the situation and provide an update as new information becomes available.  We encourage students and staff to continue monitoring email, website and social media.

McNerney asked to oppose bill to gut restaurant menu health labeling requirements

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By Colin Schwartz, Nutrition Policy Associate,  Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)

On Friday, Aug. 25, Food and Drug Commissioner Scott Gottlieb made it clear that calorie labels on menus are here to stay for all Americans. As Politico put it, “In the era of President Donald Trump’s war on regulations, one Obama-era rule — menu labeling — appears to be surviving.”

Unfortunately, a bill (H.R. 772) is working its way through Congress that would gut these menu labeling requirements, and undo recent progress toward giving Californians the information they need to make healthy choices about what to eat and what to feed their families. Now that the Trump Administration has affirmed it won’t delay menu labeling any further, it’s time for Congress to abandon this misguided effort. We are asking Rep. Jerry McNerney, who represents portions of Eastern Contra Costa County in the House of Representatives, to take a strong stand for informed consumer choice by opposing H.R. 772.

California’s adult and childhood obesity rates have steadily increased every decade since 1990, despite having the fifth lowest adult obesity rate in our nation. The rate also varies by community – currently, 77 percent of Latino adults are obese or overweight. California’s Department of Health Care Services has recognized that despite California’s best efforts, “obesity is clearly a significant driver of health problems and healthcare costs.”

Every Californian should have the information they want and need to choose healthy food for their families. Unfortunately, Congress is intent on curbing the freedom of consumers by denying them basic information about what they are ordering in restaurants. They also seem set on undoing California’s progress by scuttling the menu labeling law through the so-called Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act (H.R. 772). – Please see the comparison chart by the CSPI below. This bill ignores the reality that our nation’s top 50 restaurant chains have already committed to empowering consumers by including calorie counts at their locations across the country. Additionally, an independent economic analysis already found that the FDA’s decision to delay the enactment of the rule by one-year could already cost consumers an astounding $15 for every $1 saved by industry. Now imagine the damage H.R. 772 could have on consumers and our economy if signed into law.

This bill is contrary to Californians’ preferences. California passed the first state menu labeling law in our nation in 2008 to support and protect consumer choice. Since the signing of the legislation, California-based chains from California Pizza Kitchen to Taco Bell have shown that menu labeling can be accomplished without sacrificing customer satisfaction.

As Adam Russell of Santa Cruz, CA wrote in response to the FDA delaying implementation of the final menu labeling rule: “People deserve to be able to make informed choices.”

We all must remain vigilant not just about congressional efforts, but the FDA’s final guidance on the menu labeling rule later this year to ensure that the consumer-choice spirit of the rule remains intact. Unfortunately, anti-consumer industry groups and some corporate interests are lobbying Congress hard and against public will to deny Americans choice on a host of critical nutrition issues, including this one. It will only get worse now that the FDA didn’t decide in their favor.

The bill is moving quickly. It has already passed out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee with Rep. McNerney voting in favor of it and is headed to the House floor (and possibly to the Senate) for a vote, possibly this or next week.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has been providing advice and advocacy toward a healthier food system since its founding in 1971. They publish Nutrition Action Healthletter and NutritionAction.com and lead action across the country on nutrition, food safety, and health.