To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS: Public Health
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity - Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (ELC-CARES) Work Order Agreement with Heluna Health
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve the Work Order Agreement between the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) - Public Health and Heluna Health for $201,536 for ELC-CARES activities;
2. Authorize the Director of Public Health, or a designee thereof, to sign one original of the agreement; and
3. Authorize the Director of Public Health, or a designee thereof, to sign all future amendments and documents directly related to the Work Order Agreement upon review and approval of County Counsel and Risk Management.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Federal Funds; Public Health Fund (1175)
DISCUSSION:
On March 27, 2020 the CARES Act was signed into law to aid state and local governments in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As portion of this funding was dedicated to Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) in efforts to support a number of activities in mitigating spread of COVID-19. California Department of Public Health (CDPH) was allocated funding to disburse to local health departments and assigned Heluna Health to oversee this grant funding.
DHHS - Public Health was awarded $201,536 for the period of May 1, 2020 through March 31, 2022. Activities related to this funding include but are not limited to: ensuring adequate capacity to conduct COVID-19 contact tracing and case investigation, supporting high-risk settings such as local jails, long-term care facilities, and congregate shelter settings in ensuring appropriate monitoring of potential outbreaks, increasing the Humboldt County Public Health Laboratory’s testing capacity, leveraging community and jurisdictional partnerships and ensuring timely and accurate reporting of data to CDPH.
The ELC-CARES funding as detailed in the attached Work Order Agreement will allow Public Health to maintain robust contact tracing and investigation through hiring a Communicable Disease Investigator I position, increase the Humboldt County Public Health Laboratory’s capacity to conduct testing, and increase efficiency through the creation of bi-directional interfaces to allow local healthcare providers and hospitals to request testing electronically, and allow for electronic reporting of results of testing.
This agreement comes before your Board after the start date due to late receipt from Heluna Health.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Approval of the Work Order Agreement with Heluna Health will allow DHHS - Public Health to be reimbursed $201,536 in Fund 1175, Budget Unit 455, Emergency Preparedness for the period of May 1, 2020 through March 31, 2022. This funding was not anticipated in the county budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020-21; therefore, a supplemental budget will be included either with the 1st Quarter Report or another agenda item soon to increase the budget for FY 2020-21 by $101,393. The remaining funds will be included in the annual county budgets for FY 2021-22. There is no impact to the county General Fund.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports your Board’s Strategic Framework by creating opportunities for improved safety and health .
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
N/A
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Your Board may choose not to approve the agreement with Heluna Health, however, this is not recommended as it would result in a loss of funds allocated to DHHS - Public Health to allow for appropriate response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Work Order Agreement with Heluna Health
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: N/A
Meeting of: N/A
File No.: 20-1315