Approved Minutes of August 28, 2024

Browse Search

MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH August 28,2024 • In January, the FIT Program raised $80,000 to help fund emergency housing. • FIT works closely with the Orange County Sheriffs Office and helped bring about the Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) program currently offered in the jail. Recently, this program was expanded to allow individuals taking Methadone to continue their medication while incarcerated. Additionally, there is a new bridge program for MOUD, allowing individuals who are transitioning out of the justice system to receive a long-acting dose of MOUD to help prevent post-release overdose and give them time to set up appropriate care outside of the justice system. • Dr. Ashkin shared that they recently launched a new program, FIT Wellness, which identifies and supports formerly incarcerated individuals with severe mental illness. This program received a $5.5M investment from the state and includes funding for a new CHW. • The Transitions Clinic Network, an evidence-based program with a low recidivism rate, is the basis for the FIT Program; results from the FIT program will be published soon and show similar outcomes to this program. • Mr. Whitaker asked how people get into FIT and why there is such a high proportion of women in the program compared to the criminal legal system population, to which Mr. Green replied that people enter the program by word of mouth and by referral through partners such as law enforcement and CRJD programs. He added that women, in his experience, tend to be more compliant and excited to be in the program compared to men. Dr. Ashkin added that the pre-release bridge MOUD program originated in a women's prison, which may have led to increased awareness of the FIT Program among justice-involved women. • In response to Dr. Royce's question about how long people remain involved with the FIT program, Mr. Green said that this fluctuates by case depending on buy-in but is generally around one year. Dr. Ashkin added that there is at least one client who has been in the program for five years and that he continues to see patients even after they end their involvement in the program, as this is primary care. • Commissioner Fowler asked if FIT clients are on Medicaid, to which Dr. Ashkin replied that with expansion, they are now. In response to Dr. Stuebe's question, he added that it is still required that Medicaid be terminated or suspended when an individual is incarcerated, but that new legislation, the 1115 waiver, is being approved to allow re- instatement ninety days before release, and that as soon as they are permitted to, the FIT program will have CHWs assist with pre-release Medicaid enrollment. • Dr. Nickelson asked if FIT patients are limited to specific services, to which Dr. Ashkin replied that they can receive all services available at Piedmont Health Services and FIT will pay for it— behavioral health, dental, nutrition, etc. Mr. Green added that patients can also be referred to OCHD. C. 4th Quarter Financial Reports and Billing Dashboard Frederick Perschau, Finance and Administrative Services Director, presented the 4t" Quarter Financial Reports and Billing Dashboard for Fiscal Year 2023-2024. Some highlights of his presentation are below: • Mr. Perschau began his presentation with an addendum, saying that OCHD ended the fiscal year at 84% of revenue and 95% of expenditures, which was an increase from the prior fiscal year. The main challenge of the year was a cyberattack on Dental Services that prevented claims processing —this has been corrected for private insurance claims but not yet for Medicaid claims. S:\Managers Working Files\BOH\Agendas &Abstracts\2024 Agenda and Abstracts/ August Page 6