Hazard Pay: The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted to spend $36 million of American Rescue Plan funding on hazard pay for the county’s essential employees. Mandatory bonus pay has been the subject of much discussion around the state as we emerge from the pandemic. The Culver City Council has passed an ordinance that requires $5 per hour hero pay for employees at the city’s only hospital, and Assembly Bill (AB) 650 would mandate bonuses of up to $10,000 for hospital employees and contractors. However, AB 650 was moved to the Assembly Inactive File on June 3 and is now a two-year bill.
Medi-Cal Managed Care Request for Proposal: On July 13, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors will discuss the changes that are coming to Medi-Cal managed care plans in 2024. In advance of those changes, the county will solicit community and stakeholder input through various meetings. Details of the community engagement will be laid out at the July 13 meeting.
Medi-Cal CalAIM: On June 4, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) released finalized documents and supporting resources for the Enhanced Care Management (ECM) and In Lieu of Services (ILOS) components of its California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal initiative. For those who missed it, a recording of the June 8 webinar on the overview of the finalized ECM and ILOS documents will be posted on the DHCS website.
San Diego County Board of Supervisors: The board has approved a new Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs. This office will serve as a centralized county hub of resources and information for immigrants and refugees in San Diego County, to ensure they are provided with the tools to thrive within their community and pave the way for a more “welcoming” county.
Imperial Valley Wellness Foundation: Roque Barros Jr. has been hired as the foundation’s first executive director. Barros was born and raised in Imperial Valley and has spent his career working to improve the lives of people in underserved communities. He most recently served as the director for the Ford Institute for Community Building, an arm of the Ford Family Foundation.
