HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION.
This action supports the Board’s Value of “[A]pproaching human services collaboratively and compassionately, with special emphasis on the most vulnerable” as well as the Goals to “[D]eliver evidence-based services to the public, and connect customers and their family members, to sustainable support, with special emphasis on financial supports” and “[E]ffectively advocate for and acquire municipal, state and federal financial support to equitably address health and human services needs of the entire community, through a truly coordinated system of care." Securing federal grant funding will facilitate the County's provision of services to eligible persons living with HIV/AIDS in Broward County.
Broward County has received Ryan White Part A grant funding from HRSA since 1991. The Ryan White Part A Program is authorized by the Public Health Act, Sections 2601-2610 (42 USC 300ff-11 - 300ff-20), as amended by the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-87). The grant fund assists Eligible Metropolitan Areas (EMA) that have been severely affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic in developing or enhancing access to a comprehensive continuum of high quality, community-based care for low income individuals and families affected by HIV-related illness. The grant project period is from March 1, 2018 through February 28, 2019.
The Broward County HIV Health Services Planning Council (Planning Council), created through Resolution No. 1990-3469 on November 27, 1990, is legislatively mandated to establish core medical and support service priorities and allocate Ryan White Part A Grant funds on the basis of size, demographics and needs of the population living with, or affected by, HIV/AIDS. These health and support services are procured using an open, competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process, resulting in agreements with community agencies.
In the 2017-2018 grant period, Broward County was awarded $15,831,728 in Ryan White Part A Grant funds to serve approximately 8,100 unduplicated HIV-positive individuals. In June 2017, the Florida Department of Health HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report documented 20,041 living with HIV/AIDS in Broward County. Based on unmet need data, it is anticipated that Broward County will serve approximately 8,505 unduplicated persons living with HIV in the 2018-2019 grant period, which supports the increase in the County’s funding application to $16,623,315 for a range of services as set by the Planning Council (Exhibit 1).
The 2018-2019 Grant Aplication and Compliance Assurances Form (Exhibit 2) must be submitted to HRSA by October 30, 2017. Broward County has met all federally mandated Conditions of Award, including ensuring that unexpended grant funds are below 5% of the total grant award.
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