Approve agreement with the California Department of Public Health in the amount of $576,252 for the period of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2030 for the provision of Disease Intervention Specialists Workforce Development Grant. (No general fund impact) (Morales)

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Sexually Transmitted Disease Control Branch (STDCB) is awarding Local Health Jurisdictions (LHJ) local assistance funds through the Disease Intervention Specialist (DIS) Workforce Development grant. Funded by the AIDS Drug Assistance Program Rebate Fund, this grant is to fund local disease intervention specialists supporting current or eligible services and programs as per Sections 120956 and 120972.2 of the Health and Safety Code. These annual DIS Workforce Development grant funds will maintain the disease intervention specialist workforce and ensure the continuation of essential services to prevent and control sexually transmitted infections (STIs), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), and mpox. Funding availability in subsequent fiscal years will be determined by satisfactory performance and is subject to the availability of appropriated funds by the State of California. This Grant is a follow-on to the DIS Workforce Development funding that was part of the American Rescue Plan act of 2021 and was used to address outbreak response and sustain frontline public health staff conducting disease investigations.

This funding allows Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) to develop, expand, train, and sustain the disease investigation and intervention workforce and address jurisdictional prevention and response needs to HIV, STIs, HCV, and mpox. The funding is intended to scale prevention, increase capacity to conduct disease investigation, ensure appropriate treatment, link people to care and ongoing case management, monitor disease trends and rapidly respond to changes in disease trends and outbreaks of STIs, HIV, HCV, and mpox. HHSA will use the funding to sustain existing staff that carry out disease intervention activities for residents diagnosed with STIs, HIV, HCV, and mpox, as well as activities that prevent new cases of STIs, HIV, HCV, and mpox.

The syndemic of HIV, STIs, HCV and mpox from sexual and/or bloodborne transmission highlights the need for a syndemic approach to risk reduction. Given this context, Yolo County disease investigators, epidemiologists, and public health nurses play a critical role in identifying and responding to cases of HIV, STIs, HCV, and mpox, as well as reaching their partners. This work is essential for identifying those at greatest risk for HIV for expanding prevention, conducting investigations, monitoring disease trends, ensuring treatment, linking individuals and their partners to care and prevention are vital strategies for controlling the spread of HIV, STIs, HCV and mpox in California.  

Staff recommends approval of this agreement to receive funding to implement the DIS Workforce grant to ensure HHSA can respond efficiently to 21st century outbreaks in the community.

County Counsel has approved this Agreement as to form.

Not applicable for revenue agreements.

Performance Measures included in this Agreement are as follows:
Not applicable to state revenue agreements.