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Regular-Health & Human Services # 52.
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| Board of Supervisors |
Adult & Aging |
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| Subject |
| Receive update on the activities of the County's Public Guardian function within the Health and Human Services Agency. (No general fund impact) (Larsen) |
| Recommended Action |
| Receive update on the activities of the County's Public Guardian function within the Health and Human Services Agency. |
| Strategic Plan Goal(s) |
Operational Excellence
Thriving Residents
Safe Communities |
| Reason for Recommended Action/Background |
On January 1, 2017, the role and responsibility for Public Guardian transitioned from the stand alone department of Public Guardian/Public Administrator to a division of the Health & Human Services Agency (HHSA). Prior to that date, HHSA hired Laurie Haas to fill the position of Chief Deputy Public Guardian. The Chief [LH1] Deputy Public Guardian reports to the Adult & Aging Branch Director, while the HHSA Director holds the Board-appointed title of Public Guardian[KL2] . Since the June 2017 update to the Board, HHSA has completed the following tasks:
- Corrective Action Plan: HHSA developed an extensive Corrective Action Plan (CAP), which was subsequently approved by the Department of Financial Services. Karen Larsen, HHSA Director, and Sandra Sigrist, Adult & Aging Branch Director, then met or spoke individually with each Board member to review the overall CAP. As many of the CAP target items involve development of formal Policy & Procedures (P&P), especially those involving separation of duties and formalizing fiscal controls, HHSA is working across the 3-year CAP period on updates to 18 existing P&P’s, and development of 11 new P&P’s that were not previously in draft form.
- Workflow Development: The Chief Deputy Public Guardian and the Conservatorship Officers developed multiple worksheets and checklists to aid in comprehensive and timely case updates. Examples include a New Conservatee Checklist, to ensure timelines and duties of conservator are met to protect person and estate, and a Conservatee Contact Report, to ensure relevant and consistent information for Conservatees and care providers is accurately documented. Central to meeting required timelines for disposition of all individuals referred for Conservatorship, a Referral Tracking Log is now utilized, with all referral information scanned into the Public Guardian’s office electronic health record (EHR), for documenting status and outcome of the investigation. The Referral Tracking Log also has an embedded link to the EHR referral information for ease of accessing referral detail when needed.
- Social Security Administration (SSA) Audit: The Public Guardian’s office completed and responded timely to all requested information. The SSA Review resulted in no findings or recommendations, and requested only one action item, which was to provide an updated policy & procedure for managing conserved SSA beneficiaries’ funds. This information was provided to SSA.
- Staffing: HHSA added a 3rd Conservatorship Officer, a Guardian Technician and extra help administrative support staff to the team. In addition, a review of duties was completed, and an Administrative staff was promoted to Associate Analyst. HHSA Fiscal staff are working ongoing with the Chief Deputy Public Guardian and the Associate Analyst to formalize separation of duties into solely fiscal (e.g., distributing funds), solely Public Guardian (e.g., case history narrative in court reports) and joint (e.g., history of assets/distribution of assets and fiscal accountings). In addition, the Chief Deputy Public Guardian and team moved to the HHSA Gonzales Building, to better avail the team of overall Agency administrative resources. This allowed for co-location with Adult Protective Services staff, to align common workload and client support, and the Chief Deputy Public Guardian became Manager for the Adult Protective Services Supervisor.
- Partner Outreach and Communications: The Chief Deputy Public Guardian spoke at the Local Mental Health Board on 1/19/17, 5/22/17, and 5/21/18, and at the local meeting of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on 5/13/17. In addition, the Chief Deputy Public Guardian participated in a collaborative meeting with in-custody partners, Sheriff and Public Defender’s office staff; participates ongoing in a weekly collaborative client staffing discussion with HHSA and local hospital Behavioral Health staff; and participates ongoing in a bi-weekly client placement discussion with HHSA staff. In addition, the Chief Deputy Public Guardian continues active participation with the Aging Commission and Yolo Healthy Aging Alliance.
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| Collaborations (including Board advisory groups and external partner agencies) |
| Adult Protective Services, Health and Human Services Agency, Local Mental Health Board, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Yolo County Aging Commission, Yolo Health Aging Alliance |
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| Fiscal Impact |
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| Source of Funds for this Expenditure |
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