April
2018
ACHD Advocate
TopIn this edition
directorFrom the Desk of Ken Cohen, Executive Director
April has been a busy month for ACHD.

This month Sheila Johnston, Vice President, Member Relations and Administration, and I had the pleasure of visiting John C. Fremont Healthcare District in Mariposa. John C. Fremont operates a critical access hospital serving Mariposa County, which includes much of Yosemite National Park and a good deal of the local economy is related to the park and to tourism.  John C Fremont is essential to the health and wellbeing of their community. Sheila and I especially want to thank Matthew Matthiessen , CEO for providing us with an overview of the challenges that their District is addressing, including capital financing for the necessary seismic upgrade requirements; and the unique issues they face regarding the recruitment of physicians. The District also has many partnerships with various community organizations, including the Mariposa Public Health Department, and an Air Ambulance partnership with Rig Air and CCT. Matthew also provided us with an overview of the District's experience during the most recent wild fire in their region.
 
I would like to welcome our "most recent" newest Member to ACHD, North Sonoma County Healthcare District which operates Healdsburg District Hospital, and Joe Harrington, CEO. Healdsburg District Hospital has a rich history dating back to when it began in 1905.

ACHD hosted our Legislative Day in Sacramento April 16 and 17th. In addition to the important advocacy educational sessions and member visits with State legislators/staff, ACHD hosted a CEO networking session over lunch on the 17th. Thank you to Tom Bakaly, CEO, Beach Cities Health District and Herb Schultz, CEO, Desert Healthcare District, for spearheading this activity. ACHD is committed to hosting future CEO luncheons in conjunction with future sponsored events to allow Healthcare District CEO's an opportunity to network and discuss issues of mutual interest and challenge.

Congratulations to Alta Healthcare District for becoming the most recent ACHD member to become a "Certified Healthcare District". The ACHD Education Committee is currently reviewing the standards for becoming a Certified Healthcare District, including the possibility of incorporating additional governance accountability and transparency best practices. The goal of the Education Committee is to introduce to our Members at the September Annual Meeting any changes to the Certified Healthcare District that would go into effect beginning January 2019. ACHD is also working on implementation of a new member website; and the Certified Healthcare District standards will be available on line when this becomes fully operational. Members will be able to upload documents and complete the certification process on line using this new tool.

Special Note
Amber King, Vice President, Government Affairs, will be on maternity leave through mid-July.  In her absence please use the following contact information for the Advocacy Team:
For Association related questions, please contact Sheila Johnston, Vice President, Member Relations & Administration, at (916) 266-5208, or sheila.johnston@achd.org  .  


cooperTrustee Spotlight: Jerry Kaufman,  Palomar Health

 

In an effort to show our appreciation to Healthcare District Leaders, ACHD will begin highlighting the invaluable contributions of Trustees in their community.  We recognize that the work and passion of our Trustees often go unrecognized and it is our goal is to share the positive impacts Trustees make in their communities.  


What inspired you to run for a seat on the Healthcare District Board?
As a Physical Therapist for 40 years, working with hospital organizations such as A.M.I., N.M.E. and Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, I realized the importance of the Hospital District in setting the community standard for providing "excellent" care to all patients. I have always been a strong patient advocate, and when an opportunity opened in 2008 to run for a vacant seat on the Hospital District board, I was encouraged by friends who knew me through the local Rotary Club, the Boys and Girls Club and the Escondido Chamber of Commerce to file papers for candidacy. I was elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2010 and 2014.

What is one accomplishment that you and the Board have implemented that you are most proud of?
During my terms on the District Board, I was privileged to be part of the funding and building process of our new hospital, Palomar Medical Center-Escondido, which was completed in August of 2012. Our Healthcare District board was the first board to be certified by ACHD and we were able to help encourage other Districts to begin their journey toward certification also.

What is unique about your District and the constituents you serve?
Palomar Health is the largest Healthcare District in California, serving over 500,000 residents in an area of 850 square miles. Our Escondido location is also the trauma center for a 2000 square mile area. Our dDstrict covers cities and rural communities in Borrego Springs, Julian, Ramona, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Penisquitos, San Marcos, 4-S Ranch and Escondido.

What was a goal you hoped to achieve for your District during your tenure?
It has long been my desire to collaborate rather than compete in the medical profession in order to provide the patient with the best care possible. Our District Board has worked toward bringing together medical groups that provide excellent care to our patients. Working with Kaiser, Rady Childrens, Graybill Medical and ARCH Medical, we have achieved Centers of Excellence in many areas of patient care including orthopedics and cardiology.

How has being a part of ACHD helped you as a leader, your District, residents and community?
Much of my training in governance, compliance and leadership skills took place through participation in ACHD meetings. Representing my Healthcare District on ACHD on gave me an opportunity to serve on the Board, work on various committees, and meet with many outstanding leaders on the ACHD team. The relationships formed with these leaders are still part of my professional and personal life.

What advice or encouragement would you give someone considering running for the Healthcare District Board?
My advice to a potential candidate is to prepare beforehand by attending Palomar Health District Board and committee meetings to see the inner workings and to determine which areas would be a good "fit". It would also be helpful to meet with members of the board, to get to know them and to learn first-hand how the system works. 

Keep an open mind during your first term, because it will take you 2-4 years to really learn what your responsibilities to the voters are, to learn about how a large hospital system operates and to be part of a governing board that is responsible for delivery of excellent healthcare services to the largest hospital district in California.

What do you like to do in your free time?
My "free time" is scheduled around Board and committee meeting commitments; however, I believe it is important to maintain a balance in life and protect time for family and friends. I enjoy golf, playing saxophone in a concert band and in the church orchestra, and occasional travel with friends to visit our favorite places.


legdayrecapLegislative Day Recap

 

Thank you to all that attended our Legislative Day on April 16-17 in Sacramento!  Attendees heard from ACHD's Advocacy Team on legislative issues facing Healthcare Districts, a panel of experts on universal health care coverage and its implications for California, and Assembly Republican Leader Brian Dahle. 








To view the full gallery of photos, 
click here.
LegUpdateLegislative Update
The Legislature is in the midst of its session with policy committee deadlines near. Appropriations committees will now review hundreds of measures to determine cost with the fiscal committee deadline set at May 25. At the same time, the May Revision to the Governor's 2018-19 state budget will be released in the next week or so and budget subcommittees will begin closing out budget items by the end of the month.
 
A number of measures are under consideration that are of interest to California healthcare districts. A few are summarized below:
 
AB 3087 (Kalra): Health Care Cost, Quality and Equity Commission
Assembly Health Committee's one-hour special order of business scheduled for Assembly Member Kalra's AB 3087 turned into a three-hour discussion of the measure on April 24. Nearly every member of the committee asked questions and made comments, with many expressing reservations with the measure. Despite the bipartisan concerns, the bill passed out of committee on a party-line vote, 11-4. AB 3087 will be heard next in Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Please recall that AB 3087 would establish an independent Health Care Cost, Quality and Equity Commission. The Commission would set base payment amounts to hospitals, doctors and other providers and would use Medicare rates as a floor for providers; Medicare Advantage rates would be used to set payments to health plans. Providers and health plans would be allowed to appeal for a higher amount based on outstanding factors. The author took several amendments in Committee; the latest version of the bill is not yet in print.
 
Assembly Health Package
The Select Committee on Health Care Delivery Systems and Universal Coverage released a report in March, A Path to Universal Coverage and Unified Health Care Financing in California. The report concludes that: "Short-term efforts to expand coverage, improve access, reduce fragmentation and improve transparency, coupled with development of a longer-term path toward unified public financing, would help secure a future in which all Californians have access to the health care they need and deserve." Shortly after the report's release, the Assembly Democrats unveiled a health package of 14 bills, which would expand coverage, lower costs and lay the groundwork for a future health system financed by taxpayers.

Healthcare Districts
Assembly Member Cecilia Aguiar-Curry has introduced AB 2019, a measure that includes several items relating to healthcare districts. ACHD is working with the author's office to address concerns about the scope and application of various provisions and needs your help.

Last year's AB 1728 required that healthcare districts adopt a budget, establish and maintain a website, and adopt a grants policy. ACHD supported these efforts as basic transparency and accountability requirements.

AB 2019 makes these basic requirements mandatory, expands on the components of a grants policy, and contains specific requirements for healthcare districts that use design-build to build housing and for healthcare districts that file for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection. Many of the provisions - particularly associated with a grants policy - are specific and numerous. We encourage healthcare districts to review the measure and share its specific impacts with us.

ACHD's Advocacy Committee has convened a working group to discuss amendments to the measure with the intention of seeking common ground with the author.

AB 2019 is awaiting hearing in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Other News
The ACHD Advocacy Team continues to review, and take active positions on, legislation that may impact Healthcare Districts this year.  April 27 marked the last day for policy committees to hear and report the fiscal bills introduced in their house. You can view our current Legislative Reports  here .  Additionally, you can view committee hearings and floor sessions on CalChannel .  

*Reminder: Amber King, Vice President, Government Affairs, will be on maternity leave through July.  In her absence please contact  Sheila Johnston , Vice President, Member Relations & Administration.


WebinarSeriesACHD Webinar Education Series
Our April Webinar Education series was a huge success! This month, our topic focused on Elder Abuse. Specifically, how to identify signs of abuse and prevent abuse in your communities. Our speaker, Alexandra Pierce, Deputy Director of Merced County Human Services Agency, Adult and Agency Services, has focused her career on combating elder abuse and has graciously shared an Elder Abuse Toolkit that Districts may use to implement an elder abuse prevention campaign. Please  click here to access the toolkit.
 
If you missed this webinar and would like to access a recording, please click here.
 
ACHD will host the next installment of our  Webinar Education Series on May 24, 2018, at 11:00am. Our next series will focus on Harassment Training, specifically how to prevent harassment in the work place. To learn more about this event,  click here.  
 


Please contact Sheila Johnston with any questions.


ICYMIIn Case You Missed It... Healthcare District News from Around the State

 
New chief financial officer Rebecca Andrews is shown (right) sitting next to the John C. Fremont Healthcare District's chief executive officer, Matthew Matthiessen. Photo by Matt JohnsonAfter months of searching, a new chief financial officer has been found for the John C. Fremont Healthcare District.

A new advanced life support paramedic ambulance will be placed into service thanks to the continuance of a unique relationship between Hall Ambulance Service, Inc. and the Muroc Healthcare District that ensures emergency medical transportation is available for its residents.  Under the agreement, Muroc Healthcare District funds the cost for the ambulance and in return Hall Ambulance provides around the clock paramedic service to the area's roughly 2,253 residents.

Seventy runners and walkers came together for the first-ever Blue Ribbon Fun Run & Walk on March 24. The Fun Run & Walk, a community effort designed to raise awareness about Colorectal Cancer while raising funds for the Eastern Sierra Cancer Alliance, surpassed organizers' expectations.

In a victory for Eastern Coachella Valley residents and the entire Coachella Valley, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, led by Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, took a giant step towards ensuring a November vote to expand the Desert Healthcare District and Foundation (DHCD/F) to include the East Valley.

North County cities, health care providers, social workers and law enforcement agencies are planning a united front to address homelessness in their area.

For some, it was a chance to get a valid state of California identification card, a Hepatitis A vaccination and some gently worn clothing. For others, it was a place to find transitional housing.

A $2 million Collective Fund for Behavioral Health has been established by the Board of the Desert Healthcare District/Foundation, highlighting the need in the Coachella Valley to unite the community response to create change on this challenging health front. "One of our most critical Community Health Focus Areas is primary care and behavioral health access," explained Board President Les Zendle, MD, noting that this is one of four focus areas in the District/Foundation's Strategic Plan. 

The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) is proud to announce the honorees for its 2018 Healthcare Heroes awards. GHD officials said the recipients are volunteers of all ages and walks of life who serve in health care in San Diego's East Region community.

Northern Inyo Healthcare District's Rural Health Clinic plans to unveil its new telehealth partnership with Adventist Health during a special evening presentation this coming week.

The awards covered such worthwhile needs in the County as the installation of a door for the disabled at the San Andreas Senior Center; Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) for Friends of the Calaveras Fair; patient transportation funding so Common Ground can continue transporting residents to appointments; and Sierra Hope to provide support for the homeless and near homeless.


WellnessWellness Summit Now Open for Registration!

ACHD is excited to announce that our Wellness Summit will be held on July 26th in Sacramento! This year's Wellness Summit will feature leaders in public health who will present on topics ranging from mental health prevention, employee burnout and community health models to increase public health. To learn more about our Wellness Summit and to register for this one-day event, click here.

To read more about the Wellness Summit,  click here.
For more information, contact Sheila Johnston.


AnnualComing Soon: ACHD's 66th Annual Meeting

The Association's Education Committee has planned the 66th Annual Meeting with a focus on preparing Healthcare Districts for the challenges ahead and the role of District's in the face of change.  Our program is designed to inspire innovation and motivate Districts to prepare for the future. 
 
Whether you're in your early years as a District Trustee or a seasoned Executive looking to grow, you'll discover the right insight to support your District's success in Pismo Beach.
 
Join us for what will be our best educational event ever!
 
Our Annual Meeting will take place September 12 - 14, 2018, at the Cliffs Resort in Pismo Beach.  

Please contact  Sheila Johnston  with any questions or concerns.  We hope to see you there!

Stay tuned for registration information!


NomintationsCall for Nominations: Healthcare District and Trustee of the Year!
ACHD is pleased to announce that we are now accepting nominations for Healthcare District of the Year and the Trustee of the Year awards! These prestigious awards seek to recognize a Healthcare District for innovation implemented to improve the health of the communities served and Trustees that have made notable impacts in the District through significant achievements in governance, strategic planning and partnership, stakeholder relationships, leadership or finance.
 
Nominations will be accepted through June 30, 2018.
 
To nominate your District for Healthcare District of the Year, click here.
To nominate a Trustee for the Trustee of the Year award, click here.
 
Awards will be presented during the ACHD Annual Meeting taking place September 12-14 at the Cliffs Resort in Pismo Beach. And congratulations to last year's District of the Year award winner, Mayers Memorial Hospital District!



Please contact Sheila Johnston with any questions. 


BecomeCertifiedHealthDisBecome a Certified Healthcare District, Today
The Association of California Healthcare Districts (ACHD) is leading the way for Healthcare Districts to play a major role in the transformation of California's evolving health care landscape by helping them meet the changing needs of their local communities.
 
As public entities and as leaders in health, Healthcare Districts have well defined responsibilities for serving the public, adapting to their health care needs and conducting business in a manner that is open and transparent - a role that only Healthcare Districts can fill.
 
To assist ACHD Members in demonstrating their commitment to exemplary compliance in meeting the health and governance needs of the public, ACHD has developed a core set of standards, referred to as Best Practices in Governance. Healthcare Districts that show their voluntary compliance with these practices are eligible to be designated by ACHD as a Certified Healthcare District. To learn more about this program,   click here.  

Please contact Sheila Johnston with any questions.

committeeServe on an ACHD Committee, Today!

The Association is managed by a Board of Directors; the Board has five additional standing committees which makes recommendations to the Board on policy. The Board and Standing Committees are comprised of Healthcare District Trustees, Executives and senior staff who oversee the work of the Association and provide direction on initiatives that benefit all Healthcare Districts.

Each year, the Governance Committee solicits Members to participate on ACHD standing committees. The commitment is for one year and committees generally meet between 3 and 5 times per year by webinar.

Who can Serve?
Member District Trustees, Senior Staff and Executives who have an interest in being considered for a committee assignment are requested to register their interest by completing this form by Friday, June 29, 2018.


NOTE: All committees meet by webinar and are scheduled for approximately 1.5 hours. Committee members will receive monthly schedule reminders which include upcoming meeting notifications.


cappBecome a Member of CAPP Today
The Association of California Healthcare Districts (ACHD) is a member of Californians Allied for Patient Protection (CAPP), the coalition created to protect access to health care through California's Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA).  ACHD continues to strongly support the preservation of MICRA. 

In 2014, California voters definitively rejected Proposition 46, an attempt by the trial lawyers to quadruple MICRA's non-economic damages cap. Had this ballot measure passed, California would have seen higher health care costs and decreased access to care, especially among vulnerable populations who are most in need. Despite this victory, the battle to protect MICRA continues.

ACHD is strongly urging its members to individually become supporters of the CAPP coalition.

There is  no cost to be a member of CAPP, and you will be in good company.  Seven out of 10 Board Members are already CAPP members, with more than 1,000 other organizations representing community clinics, hospitals, physicians, nurses, EMTs, labor unions, local governments, dentists and other health care providers. A complete coalition list can be found on the CAPP website at  www.micra.org.  

As a CAPP member, you will receive quarterly newsletters with updates on legislative activities concerning MICRA and direct access to the CAPP staff to be your one stop resource on MICRA. Additionally, CAPP holds events for legislators in their legislative district and CAPP members are invited to attend free of cost.

Please take a moment to complete and return the  CAPP Coalition Sign-Up Form.  Thank you for endorsing this important organization and its goal to preserve MICRA.


calendar2018 Calendar of Events is on ACHD.org

ACHD is pleased to announce that our events for 
2018 is now loaded on our website!  Our calendar features committee and Board meetings, and all educational events for the entire year.  To access our calendar, click here and once you find an event, simply click on the event title to save the event into your calendar.

For more information, contact Sheila Johnston.


About ACHD:
The Association of California Healthcare Districts (ACHD) represents Healthcare Districts throughout the state. The Association serves the diverse needs of California's Healthcare Districts by enhancing public awareness, training and educating its members and advocating for legislation and regulatory policies that allow Healthcare Districts to deliver the best possible health services to Californians.  Learn more at achd.org

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