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Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), Public Health Division, recommending the Board:
1) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign a letter of support to encourage Congress to identify dedicated funding for Zika virus response rather than reducing emergency preparedness funding; and
2) Authorize the HHSA Director and the Public Health Officer to engage with Congressman Tom McClintock regarding support of dedicated funding for Zika virus response rather than reducing emergency preparedness funding.
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DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION:
Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board authorize the Chair to sign a letter to Congressman McClintock requesting support of an initiative to identify dedicated funding for the Zika virus response, without reducing Fiscal Year (FY) 2016/17 Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) funding allocations to states.
While there is agreement that Zika virus response and research needs to be funded, the current proposal is to reduce the PHEP budget. This could have negative consequences in El Dorado County, specifically, an estimated reduction of $22,000 in PHEP grant funding representing approximately a ten percent reduction compared with FY 2015/16.
It is HHSA’s understanding that Zika research and response activities (such as mosquito surveillance and case investigations) are most likely to be performed by national (e.g., Center for Disease Control and Prevention) and state agencies. To a limited extent it will likely include local public health agencies in those geographic areas most likely to encounter the virus first, such as those on the southern borders of the United States, rather than being directed to jurisdictions such as the County of El Dorado. If approved, El Dorado County’s PHEP funding could decrease by approximately ten percent ($22,000) without any additional funding for Zika related activities.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
The World Health organization stated the Zika virus is an emerging...
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