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Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board:
1) Accept the non-competitive Disease Intervention Specialist (DIS) Workforce Development Grant, administered by the California Department of Public Health with the retroactive term of July 1, 2021 through December 31, 2025, in the amount of $601,680, for implementation in Fiscal Year 2022-23;
2) Authorize the HHSA Director to execute the DIS Grant Funding Agreement 21-10552, related Exhibits, and the Contractor Certification Clause, which have been approved by County Counsel and Risk Management; and
3) Authorize the HHSA Director, or designee, to execute and administer any subsequent administrative documents and required fiscal or programmatic reports related to said award, including any amendment(s) that do not increase the amount or term of the agreement, contingent upon County Counsel and Risk Management approval.
FUNDING: 100% Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Federal funding authorized pursuant to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, appropriated for the Disease Intervention Specialists (DIS) Workforce Development Grant. This funding is administered by the California Department of Public Health for local public health infrastructure to address infectious disease prevention and control. No matching funds are required.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
On May 17, 2021, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Sexually Transmitted Disease Control Branch (STDCB) announced the availability of approximately $10 million in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) federal funds, starting in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-22, for the support of governmental public health response to infectious diseases.
On October 8, 2021, the CDPH STDCB notified the El Dorado County (County) Health and Human Services Agency Public Health Division (HHSA PHD), via a Notice of Intent to Award letter, of the Disease Intervention Specialist (DIS) Workforce Development Grant available to provide funding for County Public Health’s DIS workforce and strengthen capacity to mitigate the spread of infectious diseases. As outlined in the letter, CDC is awarding funding totaling $200 million to 59 state, local, and territorial project areas, and was made available for Strengthening STD Prevention and Control for Health Departments, authorized pursuant to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, and appropriated for the DIS Workforce Development Funding.
The HHSA PHD’s total five-year allocation for this funding is $601,680, with annual funding allocations appropriated on a yearly basis from July 1, 2021 through December 31, 2025, to support the DIS workforce development. Funding availability in subsequent fiscal years will be determined by satisfactory recipient performance and is subject to the availability of appropriated funds and federal award. The purpose of the DIS Workforce Development Grant is for Public Health jurisdictions to develop, expand, train, and sustain the disease intervention workforce to address projected jurisdictional STDs, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and other related infectious disease prevention and response needs, with priority on hiring front-line public health workforce (DIS and DIS supervisors) and secondary focus on roles that support the success of frontline DIS response and outbreak efforts.
As required by the CDPH to apply to the DIS Workforce Development Grant, a 5-year budget and completed Taxpayer 9083 form had to be submitted to the CDPH by November 5, 2021. The HHSA PHD submitted their annual DIS Workforce Development Grant budgets for calendar years 2021 through 2025, on November 4, 2021. In this submitted budget, the HHSA PHD did not budget for expenditures in FY 2021-22, and requested the FY 2021-22 year 1 annual award of $120,336 be transferred to year 2, in which CDPH approved.
On March 28, 2022, the CDPH notified the HHSA PHD that their DIS Workforce Development Grant submission was awarded and provided the resulting funding agreement No. 21-10552, for the award amount not to exceed $601,680, with a retroactive term of July 1, 2021 through December 31, 2025. Although the agreement has a retroactive term, HHSA PHD will not begin expending these funds until FY 2022-23. In order to accept this funding, the County must execute this funding agreement and provide to the CDPH by May 13, 2022.
HHSA PHD will utilize funding to support two Public Health Disease Specialist positions, including one Public Health Disease Specialist and one DIS Public Health Nurse (PHN) Supervisor, to perform outbreak response investigations, counseling and educational work specific to the HIV disease, STDs, tuberculosis, and other communicable diseases, especially as it pertains to outbreaks. The addition of the PHN Supervisor was approved by the Board, pursuant to a classification study conducted in 2022 by County Human Resources, that resulted in the addition of one full-time equivalent (FTE) PHN Supervisor allocation to HHSA, adopted in Resolution No. 031-2022 on February 22, 2022. Additionally, HHSA PHD will focus on the following key strategic targets: 1) Increase capacity to conduct disease investigation; 2) Improve linkage to prevention and treatment; 3) Provide case management and oversight; and 4) Expand outbreak response for STD, HIV, and other infectious diseases.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the Board decline to receive the funding or authorize the HHSA Director to execute the funding agreement and Contractor Certification Clause, El Dorado County Public Health will not receive the $601,680 in funds to support local public health infrastructure to address infectious disease prevention. This would also inhibit the department’s ability to meet the minimum staffing levels required of some of its already allocated funding sources
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
February 22, 2022, File ID 22-0264, Agenda No. 19, Adopted Resolution No. 031-2022 “PHN Supervisor Personnel Allocation”
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
1) County Counsel and Risk Management approved the Funding Agreement and Exhibits
2) County Counsel approved the Contractor Certification Clause
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Federal funded DIS Workforce Development Grant funds do not have a match requirement. There is no impact to County General Fund and no impact to FY 2021-22. HHSA has included this allocation in the FY 2022-23 Budget request, and will be including it in future budgets for the term of the funding agreement.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
No follow up action is required.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
“Healthy Communities, Improved Health, Well-being, and Self-sufficiency of El Dorado County communities, residents, and visitors.”
CONTACT
Daniel Del Monte, Interim Director