The Director of the Houston Health Department (HHD) requests that City Council approve an ordinance authorizing HHD to accept and expend a grant award from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the continuation of the Public Health Emergency Response: Cooperative Agreement for Emergency Response: Public Health Crisis Response grant project. This Ordinance will cover the grant performance period from January 17, 2025 through January 16, 2026, with an award amount of $1,339,555.00.
SPECIFIC EXPLANATION:
The Houston Health Department (HHD) applied for a continuation of the grant for the Public Health Emergency Response: Cooperative Agreement for Emergency Response: Public Health Crisis Response project. The current project period is from January 17, 2025 through January 16, 2026, with an initial allocation of $1,339,555.00. This ordinance will cover the grant performance period from January 17, 2025 through January 16, 2026.
The CDC is awarding supplemental funding to provide resources urgently needed to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the expanding multistate outbreak of influenza A/H5N1, an influenza A virus with pandemic-level potential, and also strengthens readiness for any respiratory disease threat with the potential to result in large, disruptive outbreaks to communities.
This funding will support efforts to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the ongoing multistate outbreak of influenza A/H5N1, a virus with pandemic potential. Key outreach activities will include disease prevention and control, surveillance and monitoring, and laboratory testing. Additionally, the grant will cover expenses for training, travel, supplies, and equipment. For the FY25 budget, HHD plans to allocate funds as follows: 1% for travel, 2% for indirect costs, 4% for fringe benefits, 8% for salaries, 19% for supplies, and 66% for other expenses.
HHD requests City Council hereby authorize the Mayor, without further City Council action, to execute all related contracts, agreements, amendments, extension or renewal of the contract and documents in connection with the above-mentioned Grant, with the approval of the City Attorney. HHD requests the Director, or his designee, be designated as the official authorized to accept and expend the funds, as awarded, for the purpose of this Grant program and to apply for and accept all subsequent awards, if any, pertaining to the above-mentioned grant. The Mayor and the Director are authorized to execute all documents accepting current and future grant funds for the project period, or for a grant performance period not to exceed 5 years.
Grant Source:
The funding for this project is from a federal government grant through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Fiscal Note:
No fiscal note is required on grant items.
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Stephen L. Williams, M.Ed., MPA
Director - Houston Health Department