Explanation
BACKGROUND: Columbus Public Health has been awarded grant funds from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). This ordinance is needed to accept and appropriate $70,000.00 in grant monies to fund the CDC’s Building Up Infection Prevention & Control in Local Departments in Healthcare-Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance (BUILD HAIAR) Grant Program for the period of October 17, 2023 through June 30, 2024.
Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) are infections that patients acquire during the course of receiving healthcare services in hospitals, long-term care facilities, outpatient clinics, and other healthcare settings. HAIs pose a significant threat to patient safety and public health. These infections can cause prolonged hospital stays, increased morbidity and mortality rates, and sizeable financial burdens on healthcare systems. Despite substantial advancements in infection prevention and control practices, HAIs remain a persistent problem. The evolving nature of infectious agents, the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains, and the complex dynamics within healthcare environments contribute to the ongoing transmission of HAIs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion in partnership with NACCHO, will provide funding to strengthen local health department’s capacity for healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance prevention and response.
Columbus Public Health will build upon its existing efforts to increase the capacity to improve healthcare infection prevention and response efforts, including COVID-19 and other HAIs, as well as those infections caused by antimicrobial resistant pathogens. This grant will provide training and certification for Long Term Care Infection Prevention for program staff with funding from CDC Grant# 6NU38OT000306-04-01, CFDA# 93.421.
This ordinance is submitted as an emergency to avoid forfeiture of the grant; to meet the deliverables of the grant; and to increase capacity to improve healthcare infection prevention and response efforts affecting public health and safety;
FISCAL IMPACT: The NACCHO Grant Program is entirely funded by the CDC Grant. This program does not generate any revenue or require a City match. ($70,000.00)
Title
To authorize and direct the Board of Health to accept grant funds from the National Association of County and City Health Officials for the CDC’s BUILD HAIAR Grant Program in the amount of $70,000.00; to authorize the appropriation of $70,000.00 to the Health Department from the unappropriated balance of the Health Department Grants Fund; and to declare an emergency ($70,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, $70,000.00 in grant award funding has been made available through the National Association of County and City Health Officials for the CDC’s BUILD HAIAR Grant Program for the period of October 17, 2023 through June 30, 2024; and,
WHEREAS, it is necessary to accept and appropriate these funds from the National Association of County and City Health Officials for the support of the CDC’s BUILD HAIAR Grant Program; and,
WHEREAS, it is necessary to allow the City Auditor to transfer appropriations between object classes for the CDC’s BUILD HAIAR Grant Program as needed upon request by the Columbus Public Health department; and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of Columbus Public Health in that it is immediately necessary to accept these grant funds from the National Association of County and City Health Officials and to appropriate these funds to the Health Department for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; and to avoid forfeiture of the grant; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Board of Health is hereby authorized and directed to accept grant funds totaling $70,000.00 from the National Association of County and City Health Officials for the CDC’s BUILD HAIAR Grant Program for the period of October 17, 2023 through June 30, 2024.
SECTION 2. That from the unappropriated monies in the Health Department's Grants Fund, Fund No. 2251, and from all monies estimated to come into said Fund from any and all sources during the grant period, the sum of $70,000.00 and any eligible interest earned during the grant period is hereby appropriated to the Health Department, Division No. 5001, upon receipt of an executed grant agreement.
SECTION 3. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing Section 2 shall be paid upon the order of the Health Commissioner and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except upon voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 4. At the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 5. Funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 6. That the Board of Health is hereby authorized to accept any additional grant awards from National Association of County and City Health Officials for the CDC’s BUILD HAIAR Grant Program for the period of October 17, 2023 through June 30, 2024.
SECTION 7. That from the unappropriated monies and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 any additional awarded funds are appropriated in Fund 2251 according to notification of award or grant agreement by the grantor.
SECTION 8. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer appropriations between object classes for the CDC’s BUILD HAIAR Grant Program as needed upon request by the Columbus Public Health department.
SECTION 9. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.