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| ARF- 6814 |
Regular Agenda Item 4. H.
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| Special BOS Meeting |
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| Information |
| Request/Subject |
| Advertisement of Request for Proposals No. 071921 Sub-Grantee for Project Management (Advancing Health Literacy to Enhance Community Equitable Responses to COVID-19). |
| Background Information |
As part of President Biden’s National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness today, the Administration is announcing an effort to invest $250 million to encourage COVID-19 safety and vaccination among underserved populations. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) will offer the funding as health literacy grants to localities, who will partner with community-based organizations, to reach racial and ethnic minority, rural, and other vulnerable populations. The new initiative is expected to fund approximately 30 projects in urban communities and 43 projects in rural communities for two years. Recipients are expected to develop a disparity impact statement using local data to identify underserved populations at the highest risk for health disparities, low health literacy, and not being engaged or reached through existing public health messages and approaches for promoting COVID-19 public health recommendations. They will create and put into action a health literacy plan, partnering with community-based organizations and adhering to culturally and linguistically appropriate standards, to increase the availability, acceptability, and use of COVID-19 public health information and services by underserved populations and others considered vulnerable for not receiving and using COVID-19 public health information.
The Gila County Health Department was notified about this grant opportunity on March 15th, 2021 by Senator Sinema's office. After reaching out to our consultant list, ASU and U of A, and our local stakeholders the decision was made to complete an expedited contract for the May 20, 2021 application deadline. The grant opportunity allows for 73 awards of up to 3 million dollars each. The Gila County application is for $2,571,740 with no match required. This sum includes $1,750,000 in mini-grant for local Gila County organizations. The anticipated grant period will be July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2023.
On June 1, 2021, The Gila County Board of Supervisors approved the application for the Health Literacy Initiative; addressing COVID-19 Pandemic in Gila County's underserved communities grant.
On July 1, 2021, The Department of Health & Human Services Office of Minority Health signed the disposition letter of approval awarding Gila County an award in the amount of $2,571,740 for the period of July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2023. Gila County was officially notified on July 15, 2021, of the award letter.
The Gila County Health and Emergency Management Division is seeking a consultant team to provide grant management services, including subgrantee awards, evaluation, fiscal tracking, and implementation support for the Advancing Health Literacy to Enhance Equitable Community Response to Covid-19 grant received from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (OMH). The main objectives of the grant are to improve organizational and individual health literacy and connect with vulnerable populations through established partnerships that include healthcare, fire and emergency responders, senior centers, and other community-based organizations. |
| Evaluation |
| The Gila County Health and Emergency Management Division will utilize the funding in coordination with the awarded contractor to address health literacy in the underserved populations of Gila County in partnership with Banner Payson Medical Center, Canyonlands Healthcare, Horizon Health & Wellness, Arizona Youth Partnership, Town of Miami - Senior Center, and the Town of Payson Fire Department. Project partners will work to address the following objectives: (1) Address barriers to accurate and reliable health information during the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) Apply health literacy and plain language principles to improve communication and understanding among vaccine-hesitant and vulnerable populations, and (3) Identify, disseminate or develop COVID-19 resources and responses to meet the literacy, language, and cultural needs of diverse audiences through the development of health impact statements and health literacy action plans. |
| Conclusion |
To meet grant requirements, Gila County is seeking a consultant team to provide grant management services, including subgrantee awards, evaluation, fiscal tracking, and implementation support for the Advancing Health Literacy to Enhance Equitable Community Response to Covid-19 grant received from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (OMH). The main objectives of the grant are to improve organizational and individual health literacy and connect with vulnerable populations through established partnerships that include healthcare, fire and emergency responders, senior centers, and other community-based organizations.
Upon approval from the Board of Supervisors, the advertisement for Request for Proposals No. 071921-Sub-Grantee for Project Management (Advancing Health Literacy to Enhance Community Equitable Responses to COVID-19) will run on July 28, 2021, and August 4, 2021, editions of the Arizona Silver Belt newspaper with a proposal due date of September 2, 2021. |
| Recommendation |
| It is the recommendation of the Finance Director and the Health and Emergency Management Director that the Board of Supervisors authorizes the advertisement of Request for Proposals No. 071921 - Sub-Grantee for Project Management (Advancing Health Literacy to Enhance Community Equitable Responses to COVID-19) to be published for two consecutive weeks in the Arizona Silver Belt newspaper. |
| Suggested Motion |
| Information/Discussion/Action to authorize the advertisement of Request for Proposals No. 071921 - Sub-Grantee for Project Management (Advancing Health Literacy to Enhance Community Equitable Responses to COVID-19). (Michael O'Driscoll) |
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