TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all necessary documents to enter into an agreement with Art Center College of Design, a California private nonprofit educational institution, to develop a campaign related to unhealthy behaviors surrounding HIV and STDs, for the period of January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017, for an amount not to exceed $80,000. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The rate of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) positive tests in the City of Long Beach (City) exceed the county, state and national levels. At the same time that the City has seen a decline in HIV positive tests, there has been an increase in other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) reported, attributed to substance abuse and behaviors that put people at risk of contracting STDs. The Health and Human Services Department (Health Department) is seeking the assistance of Designmatters, a global leader in design thinking, to research and develop innovative solutions that reverse unhealthy behaviors in the City.
The City currently contracts with the Designmatters Fellowship Program through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Innovation Team Grant to provide support in the innovation delivery approach. Designmatters provides a unique program called DesignStorm to assist organizations with the development of innovative solutions to complex social challenges. The City would like to contract with Designmatters to implement a DesignStorm to address the unhealthy behaviors that are driving higher-than-average HIV and STD rates.
DesignStorm is a three-day immersive workshop that leverages ArtCenter’s skilled professional faculty to guide multi-disciplinary teams of design students and representatives from Long Beach through an intensive exploration of the challenges surrounding the public health issue of HIV/AIDs and other STDs in the City, including community behaviors and attitudes. Additional leadership and stakeholders from the City will be invited to attend the final presentations of the DesignStorm, which will be developed into a project brief for a full Transdisciplinary Design Studio in the Spring 2017.
Transdisciplinary Design Studios (TDS) are rigorous courses embedded in the curriculum at the ArtCenter. Designmatters facilitates an exploratory, lab-like environment where top faculty and a select group of 12 to 18 upper-term undergraduate and graduate students work together over a carefully planned 14-week term to address a project brief developed via the DesignStorm. Community partners are invited to the TDS for key sessions, including a Kick-Off, Research Review, Mid-Term and Final Presentations. Deliverables of the TDS may involve elements of a communication campaign, visual identity and concepts developed across multiple platforms, including print and online, with production-ready files.
The total cost of the combined DesignStorm and TDS is $80,000, and will be funded by the City’s innovation funds appropriated by the City Council to support government innovation.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Amy R. Webber on November 2, 2016 and by Budget Management Officer Rhutu Amin Gharib on November 22, 2016.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on December 13, 2016, to allow the community outreach and design development process to begin and to complete the project during the 12-month project period.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total project budget is estimated to be $80,000. There is sufficient appropriation in the General Grants Fund (SR 120) in the City Manager Department. There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER
KELLY COLOPY
DIRECTOR
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT