The Houston Health Department (HHD) requests City Council’s approval of an ordinance authorizing the extension of the project period and budget period for a supplemental grant award from the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the Houston Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (HCLPPP). The initial budget period was from 9/30/2016 through 9/29/2017 and is being extended to 9/30/2018. Similarly, the project period which was covered in Ordinance 2014-927 from 9/30/2014 through 9/29/2017 is also being extended to 9/30/2018.
HHD also requests City Council to authorized the Director or his designee to act as the City’s representative with the authority to accept and expend the grant funds, as awarded, and to apply for and accept and expend all subsequent awards, to extend the budget and/or the project period and authorize the Mayor to execute all related contracts, agreements and documents with the approval of the City Attorney in connection with the grant for a period not to exceed five years.
Funding from this grant will assist HCLPPP to eliminate childhood lead poisoning in the City of Houston by the year 2020. To accomplish this goal, the Bureau of Community and Children’s Environmental Health (BCCEH) activities will : 1) develop and enhance a surveillance system to monitor blood lead levels, case management, lead hazard reduction, and permit accurate data analysis Geo-coding mapping, cluster identification and reporting; 2) increase awareness and action among the community and affected professionals in relation to childhood lead poisoning; 3) ensure that children at-risk for exposure to lead are screened and receive case management, environmental investigation, and lead hazard reduction, if they qualify; and 4) expand primary prevention activities in high-risk areas.
HCLPPP works with the HDHHS Bureau Of Epidemiology (BOE), to utilize Maven software for tracking childhood lead, housing rehabilitation, enforcement of housing and health codes, engagement with health care systems, public and healthcare provider education campaigns related to lead contamination through other sources (e.g., imported items), this collaboration allows HDHHS to focus health and environmental resources, other public health activities and surveillance in areas most needed.
cc: Finance Department
Legal Department
Agenda Director