Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution authorizes Public Health Madison Dane County (PHMDC) to accept two grants from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, amends the PHMDC budget to appropriate the funds, and creates 2.0 FTE limited term Disease Intervention Specialist Project positions. The grants total $353,999 for the period of 01/01/2023 - 12/31/2024 and fund training, outreach, supplies, and the two limited term positions for SRH/HIV education and outreach. The department anticipates that the positions will be hired in the second quarter of 2023. Continuation of the positions beyond 2024 is contingent upon additional grant funding.
Title
A Resolution Authorizing to Accept Grant Funding from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services for 2.0 FTE Disease Intervention Specialist Project Positions for SRH/HIV Education and Outreach.
Body
WHEREAS, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services is a recipient of two Centers for Disease Control and Prevention HIV Prevention Grants, grant #14457 in the amount of $74,746 and grant #14484 in the amount of $279,253, both providing supplemental funds for Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Disease Intervention Specialists (DIS) positions; and
WHEREAS, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services awards Public Health Madison and Dane County (PHMDC) a proportion of this grant annually and will increase the award to PHMDC to hire two (2.0 FTE) additional project DIS positions. These positions will support integrated services provided by the Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Clinic, the Harm Reduction program including syringe services, HIV Partner Services, and PrEP Navigation Services through extensive community outreach and education; and
WHEREAS, one DIS position will conduct sexual and reproductive health and STI/HIV outreach, education, and testing among individuals that may become pregnant or are at high risk for STI/HIV, including individuals that do not yet know their HIV status or that know they have STI/HIV but are not engaged in care. They will connect priority populations in the community to clinic staff at the SRH Clinic for screening and treatment, connect to behavioral health supports, and if appropriate connect client’s partners to HIV Partner services. SRH DIS staff will provide rapid STI, Syphilis and HIV testing and confirmatory blood draws to screen for infections; and
WHEREAS, the other DIS position will conduct syringe services and harm reduction outreach, education, and STI/HIV testing among individuals that my become pregnant or are at high risk for STI/HIV, including individuals that are experiencing homelessness or use injectable drugs. This includes providing rapid STI, Syphilis and HIV testing in addition to education and training on overdose prevention, distribution of safer use supplies such as sterile syringes and Narcan, and they will promote increased understanding of the principles of harm reduction and how they can be integrated across public health programs; and
WHEREAS, PHMDC recognizes the importance of primary prevention to prevent communicable disease transmission and approach the work through a health and racial equity lens. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services intends to provide ongoing support to PHMDC to carry out this program pending future availability of funds; and
WHEREAS, the initial grant period is 01/01/2023 - 12/31/2024 and PHMDC expects the grant to continue; and
WHEREAS, the Intergovernmental Agreement creating the joint City-County health department requires approval of both the Dane County Board and the City Council for the creation of any new positions; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Director of Public Health Madison and Dane County is authorized to accept and expend the funding from HIV Prevention Grant Profile #14457 in the amount of $74,746 and HIV Supplemental Grant Profile #14484 in the amount of $279,253, designated to support DIS training, outreach, supplies and a two (2.0 FTE) new DIS positions for 01/01/2023 through 12/31/2024, with the expectation of continued grant funding;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Public Health Madison and Dane County is authorized to sign the respective agreements for Grant Profiles #14457 and #14484;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that per the Intergovernmental Agreement Between the City of Madison and Dane County, Public Health employees are employees of Dane County;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED Public Health anticipates that the position will be hired in the second quarter of 2023;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if this grant funding and agreement continues as anticipated, future agreements can be authorized by the Board of Health for Madison and Dane County as a continuation grant as authorized by the IGA;
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that upon adoption of this resolution and approval from the Dane County Board and Common Council, 2.0 FTE Disease Intervention Specialists will be created in the Public Health Madison and Dane County 2023 Operating Budget, and the position will be noted in the 2023 and 2024 Operating Budgets to reflect that the continuation of the position is contingent upon continued grant funding.