The Houston Health Department (HHD) requests City Council approval and authorization of a grant application to and a contract with the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) for the Tuberculosis (TB) State/ African American Project/Harmony House Project. The initial contract period is from September 1, 2015 through August 31, 2016 for $1,827,509.00. DSHS reserves the option to renew the contract term up to four additional years.
HHD also requests City Council to authorized the Mayor to execute all related contracts, agreements and documents with the approval of the City Attorney in connection with the grant and to authorize the Director or his designee to act as the City’s representative in the application process with the authority to apply for, accept and expend the grant funds, as awarded, and to apply for and accept and expend all subsequent awards, if any, pertaining to the grant.
The contract is payment in the form of reimbursement to the City’s TB State/African American Project/Harmony House Project and requires a 20% match ($322,102.00) of the total base TB state allocation ($1,610,509.00). Existing employees’ salaries and fringe benefits will compensate for the required match. Neither the African American Project ($167,000.00) nor the Harmony House Project ($50,000.00) requires a match.
Funding will provide continued support and expand outreach activities in populations of high occurrence and selected geographical areas with a significant level of tuberculosis and an incidence greater than the State or Texas rate. The outreach activities covered are a) prevention and control elimination surveillance (TB/HIV related epidemiology and HIV related TB prevention); and b) laboratory testing. Other items in this grant include training, travel, supplies and equipment.
The contract requires the City to 1) develop and provide basic services and associated activities for TB prevention and control 2) expand outreach services to individuals of identified special populations (as specified by DSHS) who have TB or who are at risk of developing TB 3) develop and maintain an active coalition of citizens and professionals who will work with the African American community in the City’s service area to create an awareness of TB and availability of TB medical services, inclusive of community and media presentations and 4) work with the local health care community to develop an understanding of TB diagnosis and treatment, prevention and control and available resources for consultation and referral.
Ninety percent of TB cases are placed on directly observed therapy (DOT) to ensure the completion of their treatment and reduce the risk of developing a drug resistant form of TB. In 2014, Houston reported 195 TB cases.