Title
Health and Human Services Agency, Public Health Division, recommending the Board authorize the Director to sign a letter of support for the County of Sacramento's grant application to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the BioSense 2.0 project.
Body
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost
This letter of support has no financial implication to the County.
Background
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) proposed The BioSense 2.0 program in response to the Public Health Security and Bioterrrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 which mandated a nationwide integrated system for early detection and assessment of potential bioterrorism-related illness. CDC announced the availability of funds in Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 for a cooperative agreement for health departments. These funds are to implement and utilize BioSense 2.0 for all-hazards public health situation awareness at the state, local, tribal, territorial, and federal levels. This non-research portion of the BioSense 2.0 program is to lower barriers to data exchange across jurisdictions for public health surveillance and response.
Reason for Recommendation
Sacramento County took the lead by submitting an application for the funding opportunity. Other counties involved in this regional community health bio-surveillance project include, but are not limited to, El Dorado, Placer, Sutter, Yuba, Yolo, and Nevada.
As stipulated in Board of Supervisors Policy A-5 - Grant Endorsements for Non-County Agencies requires Departments to obtain approval from the Board of Supervisors prior to providing endorsement for non-county grant applications. If approved, this letter of support from Health and Human Services Agency will confirm to Sacramento County and to the CDC the County's commitment to the BioSense 2.0 project. HHSA/Public Health will benefit by having the ability to receive syndromic surveillance data which will be analyzed by HHSA's epidemiologist for indication of disease/outbreaks such as influenza.
Action(s) to be taken following Board approval
HHSA Director to sign and forward the letter of support to the County of Sacramento Department of Health and Human Services.
Contact
Daniel Nielson, M.P.A., Director