No. 3-02
WHEREAS, the Department of Health’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2002-03 includes a base budget, and a list of General Fund reductions pursuant to the instructions of the Mayor’s Budget Office; and,
WHEREAS, the Department of Health has surplus revenues in the current fiscal year 2001-02 year that it requests be applied to balance next year’s budget; and,
WHEREAS, the Department projects additional revenues from State and Federally funded programs that will allow the Department to balance the budget for fiscal year 2002-03; and,
WHEREAS, the Department’s base budget maintains existing services and funding levels, and also improves the funding levels of existing healthcare services in selected areas; and,
WHEREAS, the base funding funds salary COLA’s to civil service employees, expands the number of funded beds at San Francisco General Hospital, enhances nurse staffing at Laguna Honda Hospital, funds cost increases for pharmacy services, and expands children’s mental health services; but,
WHEREAS, the budget instructions require the elimination of all program “add-backs” that were funded by the Mayor and/or Board of Supervisors with one time funds in the current year, which reduces vital healthcare and prevention services and programs; and,
WHEREAS, the base budget does not contain a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) to contractors or to the University of California for providing health services, which will result in the reduction of services to the Department’s clients and patients; and,
WHEREAS, the instructions from the Mayor’s Budget Office require the Department to propose 10% of General Fund reductions, which equates to $30 million for the Department of Public Health, in the event that additional cost reductions are needed to balance the City budget; and,
WHEREAS, the Department identified $25 million in potential General Fund reductions, many of which would reduce vital healthcare services to target populations and reduce access to care; and
WHEREAS, the Health Commission and the Health Department have developed a continuum of care across a spectrum of services based on the Department’s Strategic Plan; and,
WHEREAS, reducing or eliminating components of this continuum will create service gaps in the system through which clients and patients will be without care; and,
WHEREAS, the Health Commission is opposed to services reductions of safety net services; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Health Commission approves the Department of Health’s base budget for fiscal year 2002-03; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Health Commission strongly urges the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors to evaluate the process for adding funds to enhance programs with one time “add-backs” and identify permanent funds to continue valuable programs in the Department’s base budget; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Health Commission strongly urges the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors to fund a contractor COLA to the Department’s contractors and to the University of California that will allow these agencies to fund salary and operating increases without reducing the scope or volume of services provided to the clients and patients that they serve; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Health Commission does not endorse the 10% General Fund reductions, and strongly urges the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors to identify sufficient funding to maintain the vital healthcare services provided by the Department of Public Health and avoid service reductions that would occur with a 10% General Fund reduction.
I hereby certify that the Health Commission at its meeting of February 19, 2002 adopted the foregoing resolution.
Michele M. Olson, Executive Secretary to the Health Commission