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Extracted from Consolidated Report
This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings 8 findings
F1
Page 73
As confirmed by SCGJ members’ site visits, no reception staff are available to the public at SCHHS offices, except for SCHHS’s Acute Psychiatric Services.
F2
Page 73
No Personnel Directory of SCHHS staff is available to the public (including their web sites) though this has been available to the public in the past.
F3
Page 73
Staff scheduling issues are leaving Sutter County residents without appropriate and timely HHS services. Need for a “Dashboard” that Provides Progress on Standardized Indicators Measuring Community Health Improvements DISCUSSION A Community Health Assessment is conducted annually but is not reported on a publicly accessible forum. While two senior SCHHS staff interviewed by the SCGJ reported that many population- based “health indicators” (e.g., reported cases of diabetes, heart disease, cancers, obesity, etc.) seemed to be “getting worse,” in fact, neither could refer to collected data on these health indicators that would be available to the residents of Sutter County. Creation and use of a community- accessible performance and health standards “dashboard” has been “under development” by SCHHS for more than twenty years. Senior SCHHS management reported that a data system that would drive a community-accessible dashboard was projected to be completed in 1.5 years. There were no plans, however, to make that data available to the public. Senior SCHHS management stated that there were “no analysts” on staff that could create a public health measures dashboard. However, a review of SCHHS’ annual budget and organizational chart identifies five (5) “Analyst” positions. FINDINGS
F4
Page 74
A $80,000 contract to develop a standardized data analysis system was requested in the 2023-2024 budget, however there was no set date provided to the SCGJ for when action would be taken.
F5
Page 74
There are at least five (5) “data analysts” positions identified on SCHHS’s organizational charts (with two more currently unfilled) but none of those positions are currently being employed to produce annual reports on health indicators performance that could be accessible to the public for review. Underfunded State-mandated Community-based Alcohol and Drug Prevention Programming DISCUSSION The State Health Care Services/SUD requires 20% of all SUD block grant funds allocated to counties to be used for community-based prevention services. SCHHS reports it receives approximately $2.20 million from the State’s Health Care Services/SUD block grant funds – 20% would equal $550,000.00. Outside the $6,000 FNL allocation, SCHHS senior managers could not identify additional Sutter County programs to comply with this state mandate. SCGJ contacted the State Health Care Services/Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Division. A senior consultant of the State SUD program confirmed the required 20% mandate. Several SCHHS staff positions are listed under “Prevention Services”. In an interview with a SCHHS senior manager, the SCGJ inquired “What community-based alcohol and drug prevention services does your unit provide?” the SCHHS senior manager responded with, “That’s a good question.” and concluded that there were none that s/he knew of. When interviewed, the SCHHS senior managers were unaware of how to build the community’s involvement in the FNL program. Additionally, they were unable to provide the SCGJ with information on how the community could apply for and/or access the FNL program. FINDINGS
F6
Page 75
SCHHS is grossly underspending its 20% mandated funds for community- based alcohol and drug prevention, as only $6,000 is budgeted for FNL programming.
F7
Page 75
All SCHHS staff listed in its organizational chart, and who are described by their respective supervisor and are designated as “prevention services” staff, are in fact providing direct therapeutic services to individual clients, in violation of State Health Care Services/SUD mandates.
F8
Page 75
Friday Night Live is currently being implemented only in two school districts (East Nicolaus and Live Oak) but the application process by other school districts for FNL programs could not be identified by senior SCHHS staff most responsible for “community-based prevention” services.
Recommendations 9
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R1Page 75The Sutter County Grand Jury (SCGJ) recommends that the Sutter County Board of Supervisors direct the Sutter County’s Health and Human Services (SCHHS) to begin installation and adoption of a hardline or mobile telephone system for all managerial staff that incorporates Mailbox and Callback capabilities by January 2026.
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R2Page 76The SCGJ recommends that the Sutter County Board of Supervisors instruct SCHHS to publish an on-line Personnel Directory with accessible phone numbers and office addresses of all senior management staff to facilitate public access to programs and their respective managers by January 2026.
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R3Page 76The SCGJ recommends that the Sutter County Board of Supervisors instruct SCHHS to explore the use of GPS tracking systems for its staff that are serving clients outside the office and are community-based, as both a personnel security measure and to provide collaboration to their staff’s reported direct client service time allocations by January 2026. This is particularly important as many SCHHS staff have not returned to full-time office status in the post- covid working environment.
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R4Page 76The SCGJ recommends that the Sutter County Board of Supervisor’s acknowledge the successful First 5 program and, with the consent of the Sutter County Children’s and Families Commission, instruct the Zero-to-Five program to move back into a community-accessible brick-and-mortar office space by June 2026. Need for a “Dashboard” that Provides Progress on Standardized Indicators Measuring Community Health Improvements
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R5Page 76The SCGJ recommends that the Sutter County Board of Supervisors instruct SCHHS to create a community health report in “dashboard” format that uses annual standardized reporting metrics on health and well-being indicators that is easily accessible to Sutter County residents by June 2026. Underfunded State-mandated Community-based Alcohol and Drug Prevention Programming
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R6Page 77Friday Night Live has proven to be a youth-energizing and community- inclusive program that should be expanded to other Sutter County Schools. The SCGJ recommends that the Sutter County Board of Supervisors instruct SCHHS to dedicate more staffing time and program resources to expand this program beyond the two rural schools currently hosting it by the start of the 2025 -2026 school year.
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R7Page 77SCHHS is underspending on its State Health Care Services/Substance Abuse Disorder Division’s block grant allocation for community-based alcohol and drug prevention services. The SCGJ recommends that the Sutter County Board of Supervisors instruct SCHHS to increase its budget to underwrite more Friday Night Live programs and verified community-based alcohol and drug prevention programs by October 2026.
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R8Page 77The SCGJ recommends that the Sutter County Board of Supervisors instruct the Director of SCHHS to review its community-based alcohol and drug prevention services budget to ensure it is adhering to State Substance Use Disorder Division’s budget allocation requirements.
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R9Page 77The SCGJ recommends that the Sutter County Board of Supervisors instruct the Director of SCHHS to identify additional staff, currently used in direct client treatment services, that can be trained in community-based prevention services, planning and delivery by January 2026. At present, no SCHHS staff appear to have any competency in this area of community-based alcohol and drug prevention services planning and delivery.