DEPARTMENT: Public Health
FILE TYPE: Consent Action
TITLE
title
Authorization To Execute Joint Powers Agreements With Independent School District 196 And Independent School District 200 For Smoke-Free Mentoring Cohorts
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Authorize execution of joint powers agreements (JPA)s with Independent School District (ISD) 196 and Independent School District (ISD) 200 for Smoke-Free Mentoring Cohorts.
SUMMARY
The Dakota County Board of Commissioners acts as the Community Health Board and has the responsibility to prevent disease and to promote and protect the public health of Dakota County residents.
Dakota County Public Health (Public Health) has over 15 years of experience working with local school districts in Dakota County through the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP). Health Promotion supports community-driven solutions to expand opportunities for active living, healthy eating, commercial tobacco-free living, and preventing chronic disease. One effective strategy is collaborating with school districts to develop smoke-free peer mentoring programs. Public Health contracts with the Minnesota Tobacco Free Alliance (TFA) to oversee these peer-mentoring cohorts within participating districts, train youth in vaping prevention best practices as part of school engagement tactics, and work on school policies that positively impact student health. This initiative supports youth empowerment to take ownership in preventing vaping among their peers and practice leadership skills in the community. There is no money exchange between these districts and Dakota County. It is simply a notice to both governing bodies of the intent to work together and bring a contractor onsite to provide technical assistance.
Under Minn. Stat. §471.59, subd.1, two or more governmental units may enter into an agreement to cooperatively exercise any power common to the contracting parties, and one of the participating governmental units may exercise one of its powers on behalf of the other governmental units. Therefore, staff is requesting to enter into a JPA with ISD 196 (Attachment: Joint Powers Agreement with ISD 196) and with ISD 200 (Attachment: Joint Powers Agreement with ISD 200) for Smoke-Free Mentoring Cohorts.
OUTCOMES
How much: Two school districts will work with TFA consultants to support the development of one youth-led school group in each district.
How well: TFA currently supports ISD 196 and their youth-led group: Tobacco Free Society (TFS), which is now a school-sanctioned group and is increasing their visibility in the community by engaging with local leaders in the prevention of vaping among youth and teens. This vendor has consistently met expectations of the most recent contract by fulfilling all deliverables to a high degree of excellence, and has participated in solicitation to become a County vendor.
Is anyone better off: TFS, out of Eagan High School, now has a trained group of youth who bring that training to 6th graders in the district as part of health education classes. This allows high schoolers to be mentors to younger students who may be positively influenced by vaping education.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Staff recommends authorization to enter into JPAs with ISD 196 and ISD 200 to continue the work of the smoke-free peer mentoring cohort overseen by TFA.
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EXPLANATION OF FISCAL/FTE IMPACTS
This is an agreement between school districts and Dakota County with no money exchanged. Agreement is to notify government parties of intent to partner on vaping-prevention strategies with a local non-profit (TFA). These JPA’s have no direct funding tied to them specifically as schools do not receive money, but the work being carried out in this JPA is part of a larger $25,000 contract with TFA. The Statewide Health Improvement Partnership grant funds the TFA contract.
☒ None ☐ Current budget ☐ Other
☐ Amendment Requested ☐ New FTE(s) requested
RESOLUTION
body
WHEREAS, the Dakota County Board of Commissioners acts as the Community Health Board, and has the responsibility to prevent disease and to promote and protect the public health of Dakota County residents; and
WHEREAS, Dakota County Public Health (Public Health) has over a decade of working with local school districts in Dakota County through the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP); and
WHEREAS, SHIP supports community-driven solutions to expand opportunities for active living, healthy eating, commercial tobacco-free living, and preventing chronic disease; and
WHEREAS, one effective strategy is collaborating with school districts to develop smoke-free peer mentoring programs; and
WHEREAS, Public Health contracts with the Minnesota Tobacco Free Alliance (TFA) to oversee these peer-mentoring cohorts, train youth in vaping prevention best practices as part of school engagement tactics, and work on school policies that positively impact student health; and
WHEREAS, TFA supports youth in being empowered to take ownership in preventing vaping among their peers and practice leadership skills in the community; and
WHEREAS, under Minn. Stat. §471.59, subd.1, two or more governmental units may enter into an agreement to cooperatively exercise any power common to the contracting parties, and one of the participating governmental units may exercise one of its powers on behalf of the other governmental units; and
WHEREAS, staff requests entering into a joint powers agreement with Independent School District 196 and Independent School District 200 for Smoke-Free Mentoring Cohorts.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes the Community Services Director to enter into separate joint powers agreements with Independent School Districts 196 and 200 for the purpose of the Smoke-Free Mentoring Cohort for the term upon execution of the joint powers agreement through October 31, 2026, subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office.
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PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
None.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: Joint Powers Agreement with ISD 196
Attachment: Joint Powers Agreement with ISD 200
BOARD GOALS
☒ A Great Place to Live ☐ A Healthy Environment
☐ A Successful Place for Business and Jobs ☐ Excellence in Public Service
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT LEVEL
☐ Inform and Listen ☐ Discuss ☐ Involve ☒ N/A
CONTACTS
Department Head: Gina Pistulka
Author: Alex Groten