DATE: December 13, 2016
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: David Pomaville, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT: Retroactive Grant Application Submittal and Revenue Agreement for Zika Preparedness and Response
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Retroactively approve and authorize the Department of Public Health’s submittal of a grant application to the California Department of Public Health for the Zika Preparedness and Response, effective July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2018 ($40,000).
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a retroactive revenue Agreement, related Letter of Acceptance and Non-Supplantation Certification Form for the California Department of Public Health Zika Preparedness and Response Grant, effective July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2018 ($40,000).
REPORT
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Zika Preparedness and Response (Zika) Grant supports ten county health departments, including Fresno County, to ensure readiness and response capabilities to reduce the spread of Zika Virus Disease (ZVD). The Department of Public Health submitted the non-competitive application to CDPH to meet the grant’s filing deadline of September 7, 2016, contingent upon your Board’s approval. The grant will fund additional ZVD education and mosquito abatement activities, with no increase in Net County Cost.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There is no alternative action. Should your Board not approve the recommended actions the County would not be able to receive the dedicated funding and the Department’s ability to effectively respond and reduce the spread of ZVD through education and mosquito abatement activities would be impacted.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The recommended retroactive agreement was received from the CDPH on November 7, 2016 and is retroactive to July 1, 2016.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The maximum amount of revenue over the two-year term is $40,000. The grant award is non-competitive and does not require matching funds. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 5620 FY 2016-17 Adopted Budget and will be included in the FY 2017-18 budget request. The agreement includes funding for full recovery of direct and indirect costs.
DISCUSSION:
In 2002, the Department began receiving Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) funds. These funds are distributed to the County through CDPH and utilized to develop and refine written plans and operating procedures, provide training and purchase equipment that support the Department’s public health emergency preparedness and response.
Since the rapid spread of ZVD throughout the Americas began gaining significant attention in 2015, the CDC and CDPH began providing support to local jurisdictions to minimize exposure to ZVD and to respond to confirmed cases. The support included the use of unspent Ebola Preparedness and Response grant funds, Agreement No. 15-269 with CDPH approved by your Board on June 16, 2015 and amended on April 12, 2016, for ZVD related response. Unspent Ebola grant funds have been utilized for public service announcements (PSAs) broadcast in local movie theaters from July 22, 2016 through November 14, 2016, informing the public how to minimize the possibility of acquiring and spreading ZVD and the dangers ZVD poses to pregnant women and women of childbearing age due to the potentially serious birth defects.
The non-competitive Zika Preparedness and Response Grant is being offered to ten California Counties where the presence of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, including Fresno County, which are capable of transmitting ZVD, have been identified. Grant recommended work plan activities include strategies aimed at limiting the spread and impact of ZVD through surveillance efforts, laboratory testing, and birth defect monitoring.
The Department was first made aware in mid-July 2016 that the non-competitive grant funding would be forthcoming to the County within a few months. As such, the Department temporarily committed the use of Public Health Realignment funds intended for the use of combating emergent diseases to increase and reinforce the messaging begun through the ZVD PSA campaign funded with the unspent Ebola grant funds. Therefore, once received, the Zika grant funds would be utilized to retroactively fund the increased PSA campaign; as such, no supplantation of funding has occurred.
The application for the Zika grant was received from CDPH on August 18, 2016 with a submittal deadline of September 7, 2016. The grant application was not presented to your Board for approval in October because the Department anticipated the agreement would be received shortly after application submittal. The agreement was received on November 7, 2016 and is retroactive to July 1, 2016.
The submitted application proposes to use grant funds to conduct two primary activities:
• Use of television and radio to air PSAs related to how ZVD is spread, prevention methods and the danger of serious birth defects if women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant contract the virus. Television and radio messages were broadcast in English, Spanish and Hmong. Written information will be produced for distribution to pregnant women and women of child bearing age through Department events and activities. The PSAs aired between August 15, 2016 and October 31, 2016.
• The second activity uses a portion of the funding ($15,000) to establish a website for County residents to quickly identify which mosquito abatement district their property is located in; identify the contact information for the appropriate district; and, include links to ZVD prevention and health related information. The website will be established in collaboration with the abatement districts allowing for efficient response to public concerns, to address infestations and target vector control efforts. Following your Board’s approval, the Department anticipates returning to your Board with an agreement for the website’s production.
The agreement contains an indemnification clause whereby the County indemnifies the State. Additionally, the State can terminate the agreement without cause upon providing the County 30 days’ advance written notice or immediately terminate the agreement for cause. The County can request to terminate the agreement only if the State substantially fails to perform its responsibilities as provided for within the agreement.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #35, April 12, 2016
BAI #63, June 16, 2015
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Grant Application/Agreement with CDPH
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia De La Rosa