Subject:
Title
Grant application to the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Fiscal Year 2021 American Rescue Plan Health Center Construction and Capital Improvements Funding Opportunity.
label
Recommended Action:
Approval by the Department Director of the grant application to Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 American Rescue Plan Health Center Construction and Capital Improvements funding opportunity.
• HRSA’s FY21 American Rescue Plan Health Center Construction and Capital Improvements award provides federal funding to health centers to support infrastructure costs for health center construction, expansion, alteration, renovation, and other capital improvements.
• Human Services, in conjunction with the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas, seeks to further expand the Bayside Health Clinic. The proposed project will increase the footprint of the clinic by adding approximately 1,000 square feet for additional dental exam, office, and storage space as well as offices for the expansion of behavioral health and HIV PREP services.
• The application will seek up to $532,472.00 for the period of September 1, 2021 through August 31, 2024. No matching funds required.Body
Strategic Plan:
Ensure Public Health, Safety, and Welfare
2.1 Provide planning, coordination, prevention, and protective services to ensure a safe and secure community.
2.2 Be a facilitator, convener and purchaser of services for those in need
Deliver First Class Services to the Public and our Customers
5.1 Maximize partner relationships and public outreach
Summary:
On January 31, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared a nationwide public health emergency related to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19). In response to this public health emergency, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 provides HRSA with funding for awards to eligible entities to support infrastructure costs for health center construction, expansion, alteration, renovation, and other capital improvements.
Background/Explanation:
The Bayside Health Clinic was initially constructed in 2016 as a 3,078 square foot, one-story, free-standing facility with exam rooms, a dental office and office space for confidential counseling. Since it’s opening, the clinic has served more and more clients and has been found to come up short in the available space needed to accommodate a growing population and full integration of services. The clinic is currently undergoing a multi-phase expansion and renovation project, funded by multiple federal grant sources, to increase the overall square footage and functionality of space; however, additional space is still needed.
Phase I of the expansion project, funded through the FY20 Capital Assistance for Disaster Response and Recovery Effort (CADRE) grant from HRSA, is for the construction of a 1,368 square foot addition to the north side of the building. This addition incorporates negative-pressure exam rooms to provide the ability to isolate patients with airborne infectious diseases as well as additional meeting space and storage capacity for the necessary personal protective equipment and hazmat supplies that are required for emergency response circumstances. This project is currently in progress, with a tentative completion date of August 2022.
Phase II of the expansion project, funded through the FY21 American Rescue Plan Act funding for Health Centers from HRSA, is for the alteration/renovation of the existing exam rooms which will be reconfigured into staff work stations once the newly constructed Phase I exam rooms are complete. The functional workstations will be utilized to bring Department of Health staff who have been working from off-site locations back to the clinic for easier access to clients and better quality of care. This project is currently in progress, with a tentative completion date of March 2023.
Discussions with the Department of Health for Phase I & II expansion project activities identified the need for additional dental and behavioral health space at the clinic. The FY21 American Rescue Plan Health Center Construction and Capital Improvement (ARP-Capital) award would provide funding for Phase III of the clinic expansion project to construct a second addition off the west side of the building. The approximately 1,000 square foot addition will incorporate space for a third dental chair, office, and storage as well as provide offices for on-site behavioral health and HIV PrEP services. Once all three phases of the expansion project are complete, the footprint of the Bayside Health Clinic will total approximately 5,500 square feet.
Human Services staff have confirmed with the Administrative Services Department that the overall expansion will not interfere with operations on the site.
The Pinellas County Health Care for the Homeless Co-Applicant Board will review and approve the submission of the application at its June 8, 2021 meeting.
Fiscal Impact:
Human Services is seeking up to $532,472.00 from the FY2021 American Rescue Plan Health Center Construction and Capital Improvements funding opportunity, for the period of September 1, 2021 through August 31, 2024. There are no match or cost-sharing requirements.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the Department Director to sign this grant application was delegated by the County Administrator per the memo dated March 28, 2016 titled “Delegation of Authority by the County Administrator and Improved Grant Procedures.”
Staff Member Responsible:
Karen Yatchum, Director, Human Services
Partner(s):
Florida Department of Health in Pinellas
Pinellas County Health Care for the Homeless Co-Applicant Board
Attachments:
FY 2021 Competitive Grant Solicitation
Intent to Apply
Environmental Information and Documentation (EID) Checklist
Assurances for Construction Programs