Governor Newsom declined to elaborate today on the resignation of
the state’s leading public health official, Dr. Sonia Angell. Dr.
Angell submitted her resignation Sunday night, nearly two weeks
after the state first revealed a major technical glitch affecting
positive COVID-19 case data.
The Governor insisted that the backlog of data in the state’s
CalREDIE laboratory reporting system had been processed over the
weekend and sent to counties for validation and demographic
details before being publicly available within the next 24 to 48
hours.
On the heels of Governor Newsom’s
recent statement that the state’s positive case rate
was declining slightly, the California Department of Public
Health (CDPH) announced
this week that the state data is likely underreported due to
a serious technological glitch.
The Bureau of State Audits released its audit
of county implementation of the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act (LPS
Act) for involuntary mental health treatment this week, finding
that while counties implement the Act properly, a lack of
treatment options, care coordination, access to data, and funding
transparency hampers positive outcomes for those who are
frequently held or conserved involuntarily.
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) announced their
request for a 12-month extension to the current Section 1115(a)
Medicaid Waiver and the 1915(b) Specialty Mental Health Services
Waiver.
Late last week, President Trump
announced the signing of four Executive Orders to lower
prescription drug prices for patients. The high cost of
life-saving prescription drugs, like insulin, has been considered
a crisis by many patients, physicians and lawmakers.
Governor Newsom modified guidance this week to allow for personal
care services in outdoor settings upon approval by the local
health officer. In counties on the state Monitoring List,
services including hair styling, barbering, facials, manicure and
pedicures, and massage may operate outside within certain
parameters set by the state. All services must be rendered
outdoors, and operators may utilize a tent or canopy as long as
no more than one side is closed to allow for sufficient air
movement.
Governor Gavin Newsom turned to the “dimmer switch” today and has
asked
19* counties (see below for list) to close all bars and cease
all indoor activities at restaurants, wineries, and family
entertainment spaces for at least three weeks. These
counties have the option to impose local orders, or the state
will issue county-specific orders.
The Governor’s office recently
announced the appointment of Will Lightbourne to serve as
Director of the California Department of Health Care Services
(DHCS).
Earlier this week, the Assembly Health Committee and the Aging &
Long-Term Care Committee convened a joint oversight hearing to
discuss the COVID-19 outbreaks in skilled nursing facilities
(SNFs) and gather information about the state’s response.
The hearing focused on issues within SNFs that aided in the
spread of COVID-19 throughout the facilities, how the state and
SNF leadership have responded to those issues, and plans to
ensure the health and safety of SNF staff and patients in these
facilities moving forward.
Earlier this week, the California Department of Finance
submitted a letter to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee
indicating plans to provide a $5 million augmentation for food
banks from the emergency coronavirus funding bill the Legislature
passed in March.
Under usual circumstances, much of the County Family would have
met in person this week for CSAC’s annual Legislative Conference
and Board of Directors meeting. However, as counties across
California and the nation continue to cope with the COVID-19
pandemic, legislative advocacy continued this week — but in a
far different form than typical.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA) has begun accepting applications for COVID-19 Emergency
Response Suicide Prevention (COVID-19 ERSP) grants. Last week
SAMHSA announced the shortened turnaround due to the critical
need. The deadline for applications is Friday, May 22,
2020.
This week the Legislature began holding public hearings to review
the Governor’s May Revision Budget. With the condensed
Legislative timelines, the Budget Subcommittees are doing their
best to fully examine the proposed investments and cuts laid out
in the Governor’s 172 page
summary. In addition to their internal review, the
Legislature has made an asserted effort to hear from the all
parties that will be impacted by what the Legislature approves by
June 15.
At the time of this writing, 20 California counties have received
the go-ahead to allow dine-in restaurants, office spaces, and
some outdoor spaces to reopen with proper safety precautions
under Stage 2 of the Governor’s Resilience Roadmap. The CSAC map
below/above shows each county and links to their variance plans.
