TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to accept grant funding from the Department of Homeland Security through the State Office of Homeland Security for the purpose of enhancing the City's homeland security preparedness; and increase appropriations in the amount of $300,000 in the Health Fund (SR 130) of the Health and Human Services Department. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management recently advised the City of Long Beach that the 2006 State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP) funds have been awarded. These grants are appropriated by the federal Department of Homeland Security and managed through the State of California and Los Angeles County. Long Beach received $300,000 for the Department of Health & Human Services (Health Department). City Council authorization is required to accept this grant and increase appropriations in the Health Department.
Prior to the events of September 11, 2001 and the subsequent anthrax attacks, the City's Health Department was already actively developing a Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Plan to address epidemiological and laboratory responses during overt or covert biological events. Soon after, the Health Department received federal funding through a cooperative agreement with the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop a comprehensive public health emergency management program, which focused on the capacity and infrastructure building of key public health functions including planning, surveillance and epidemiology, laboratory diagnostics, information technology, risk communication, and workforce development. Homeland Security Presidential Directive 8 (December 2003) identified public health agencies as first responders, reinforcing its place at the table with other traditional first responders such as law enforcement, fire and emergency management.
The Health Department has established a robust Public Health Emergency Management (PH EM) program, which has been nationally recognized for its achievements. Since the program's inception in 2002, the PHEM program has developed numerous response plans in accordance with federal grant guidelines, conducted progressive local and regional full scale and tabletop exercises, provided several regional professional workshops, community events, and workforce development education, and met federal National Incident Management System (NIMS) compliance for IS 100 and IS 700.
As an integral part of the City's first responder network, and a public health partner among health jurisdictions and a critical entity within the Los Angeles County Operation Area, the Health Department is mandated to move forward with the first of a multiphased planning process to support continuity of public health operations during an emergency. The Continuity Of Operations Plan (COOP) will be comprehensive and will ensure that essential public health functions and business interruptions can be minimized in the event of a man-made, natural disaster and/or public health emergency, outbreak or pandemic. A COOP will ensure continuous performance of essential public health functions/operations during an emergency.
SHSGP 2006 funds in an amount not to exceed $300,000 have been awarded to the Health Department to ensure continuity of essential public health functions during an emergency. The identified COOP objectives in this grant include:
1. Protecting essential facilities, equipment, records, and other assets;
2. Reducing or mitigating disruptions to operations;
3. Reducing loss of life, minimizing damage and losses;
4. Achieving a timely and orderly recovery from an emergency and resumption of full service to
Long Beach; and
5. Providing surge capacity to neighboring and regional jurisdictions.
This letter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Lori A. Conway on January 18, 2007 and Budget Management Officer David Wodynski on January 17, 2007.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council approval is requested on February 6,2007, to ensure timely acceptance of these grant dollars.
FISCAL IMPACT
The recommended action will increase appropriations in the Health Fund in the Health and Human Services Department by $300,000. Long Beach will be the sub-grantee of these funds, with the Los Angeles Operational Area administering the funds and acting as the overall grantee. This is a reimbursement grant, with no local match required.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
NAME RONALD R. ARIAS |
APPROVED: |
TITLE DIRECTOR HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES |
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GERALD R. MILLER |
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CITY MANAGER |