AHF Settles for a Health Commission Instead of a Department

LOS ANGELES—Two weeks ago, the Los Angeles City Council approved the creation of a commission to oversee health services for the city of Los Angeles. The campaign to create a commission was the handiwork of AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which has had a contentious relationship with the County for years, and originally wanted to get approval for the creation of a completely separate health department for the city, which is currently served by County Health. "Lacking support for that effort," reported WeHo News, "AHF went this route. Because the bill would have to be signed or vetoed within ten days of passage, and Mayor Garcetti failed to take any action, the law goes into effect automatically." The city council could have allowed the AHF measure to go before the voters for a vote. Originally, AHF had gathered a sufficient number of voter signatures to qualify the measure for a place on the November ballot. But considering the massive expenditure it would have taken to include AHF's measure on the November ballot—then-City Attorney Carmen Trutanich had estimated it would have cost the city upwards of $4 million to put AHF's condom measure on a similar ballot back in 2011—the council had the option to approve the measure for fast-track adoption, and decided to go that route.    The law will: “…create a Los Angeles City Health Commission composed of 15 members appointed by the members of the City Council. The proposed ordinance requires the new Commission to publish an annual health services plan regarding the health needs and goals of the City. The proposed ordinance requires the City Council to consider and respond to the Commission’s annual health services plan at a public meeting.  "The County of Los Angeles now provides public health services in the City. The proposed ordinance requires the Commission to review and report on a sample of the County’s contracts for health services in the City. The proposed ordinance requires the City Council to evaluate whether the City should continue to contract with the County for public health services and to study the feasibility of creating an independent City health department.” Obviously, then, AHF is still bucking for a health department that serves just the city, and has inserted language into the new law that could yet lead to such an outcome. As well, the new commission will also review contracts for health services, another area where AHF has engaged in protracted litigation with the county. The commission will be comprised of 15 members appointed by the City Council; it will be interesting to see how many FOWs (Friends of Weinstein) wind up on it.