The Houston Health Department (HHD) requests City Council approval of an ordinance amending Ordinance No. 2013-0536 to increase the maximum contract amount and authorizing a First Amendment to an Agreement for Professional Services between the City of Houston and Harmony House, Inc. for: 1) additional services related to respite care, 2) five additional automatic one-year renewal terms extension, and 3) an increase in the maximum contract amount by $1,200,000.00 which makes the new maximum contract amount $2,200,000.00. The original budget and original scope of work for Tuberculosis services will remain the same. The added reimbursable budget provided by Houston Housing and Community Development Department (HCDD) for respite care services will not exceed $200,000.00.
There is a need in Houston to house homeless tuberculosis (TB) patients who are discharged from the hospital while still infectious. These patients are often released to the general population where they can infect others with TB. Living in congregate settings (homeless shelters, jails, etc.) increases the risk of infecting others.
Harmony House has provided housing for TB patients since 2000. Harmony House provides a stable environment where public health workers access patients for their directly observed therapy (DOT). In response to the need to house contagious patients, Harmony House has equipped a separate facility (Langston House) to provide interim housing, including meals, twenty-four-hour supervision, transportation and referrals. Upon completing appropriate treatment and becoming non-contagious, the patients can return to a traditional congregate setting or to their family environment.
Under this First Amendment, HCDD will partner with HHD to fund respite services for people needing respite care/TB services who are referred by health care providers and/or HHD to Harmony House’s Emergency Shelter Respite (HHESR). The added respite care services are available 24 hours per day to a maximum of 28 people. The purpose of the HHESR Program is to provide a safe and recuperative environment for patients who are medically cleared and do not require hospitalization but cannot be discharged to a stable home or shelter.
Respite services include but are not limited to: 1) Case Management to evaluate the clients risk, conduct a comprehensive assessment, collect client health functional, psycho-social, financial, employment, and educational status, and with the nurse practitioner assistance, develop a case treatment plan to meet each client’s need; 2) Referrals to more permanent housing or shelter; 3) Assistance in securing employment or other income; and 4) Educational programs on topics such as interview skills; HIV / AIDS information, testing, counseling, and preventive education.
Fiscal Note:
Funding for this item is included in the FY2018 Adopted Budget. Therefore, no Fiscal note is required as stated in the Financial Policy Ord. 2014-1078.
Pay or Play:
This procurement is exempt from the City's Pay or Play Program because the department is utilizing a sole source for this purchase.
Hire Houston First:
This procurement is exempt from the City’s Hire Houston First Ordinance. Bids/proposals were not solicited because the department is utilizing a sole source contractor for this purchase.
MWBE Goal:
M/WBE Zero Percentage Goal Document approved by the Office of Business Opportunity
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Stephen L. Williams, M.Ed., M.P.A.
Director, Houston Health Department