To: Charles Winfrey, Human Services Committee Chairperson
From: Michelle Estell, RS, MSA, Health Officer
title
RE: Approval of an agreement between Genesee County and Voices for Children, in the amount of $29,194.00, to provide Community Consortium facilitation; the term of this agreement is January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025; the cost of this agreement if fully grant funded
recommendation
BOARD ACTION REQUESTED:
Approval of Professional Services Contract between the Genesee County Health Department (GCHD) and Voices for Children. Contractor will be paid $29,194.00 to provide facilitation and coordination of the Healthy Start Community Consortium. Contract would be valid from January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025, to be paid from Funding Account- 2211-607.01-801.001, Funding Source Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
BACKGROUND:
HRSA requires all Healthy Start grantees to convene a Community Consortium to reduce maternal and infant mortality within Genesee County. The Community Consortium must be facilitated by an individual not associated with GCHD alongside a parent or community member with lived experience. Voices for Children has previously convened a parent advisory group on behalf of GCHD for the Healthy Start Lead Expansion grant, they achieved the goals set by HRSA for the previous initiative. Due to their knowledge and expertise, Voices for Children has shown the ability and expertise to convene the Healthy Start Community Consortium on behalf of GCHD in order to achieve the programmatic goals set forth by federal funder HRSA.
DISCUSSION:
Health Start is an infant mortality reduction program that uses a multidisciplinary approach to provide home visiting services to families in the Genesee County community. In addition to direct services, Healthy Start grantees are required to engage in systems-change activities to promote optimal maternal and infant health. GCHD is currently promoting systems change activities through the Genesee County Maternal Child Health Network (MCHN), which is being transitioned into the Healthy Start Consortium. There are a number of community partner organizations who are engaged in quarterly meetings that address factors contributing to poor maternal and infant health outcomes. Utilizing Voices for Children as the convener of this group will allow GCHD to adhere to the federal requirement for the community consortium component. Genesee County Healthy Start received continued federal funding for funding cycle May 1, 2024, through March 31, 2029. No county appropriation is needed.
IMPACT ON HUMAN RESOURCES:
There is no expected impact on Human Resources.
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
All 2024 Healthy Start grantees received funding from federal funder HRSA to convene a community consortium. A budget amendment is attached.
IMPACT ON FACILITIES:
There is no expected impact on facilities.
IMPACT ON TECHNOLOGY:
There is no expected impact on technology.
CONFORMITY TO COUNTY PRIORITIES:
Genesee County Healthy Start continues to support a Healthy, Livable, and Safe Community through the utilization of community resources. Home visiting services provided through the Healthy Start Initiative are shown to decrease maternal and infant mortality, therefore contributing to full term pregnancies and healthy infants.
resolution
TO THE HONORABLE CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE GENESEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
BE IT RESOLVED, by this Board of County Commissioners of Genesee County, Michigan, that the request by the Health Officer to authorize entering into a contract between Genesee County and Voices for Children, whereby the contractor will provide facilitation and coordination of the Health Start Community Consortium for the Healthy Start Initiative, at a total cost not to exceed $29,194.00 to be paid from account 2211-607.01-801.001, for the period commencing January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025, with no county appropriation required, is approved (a copy of the memorandum request and supporting documents being on file with the official records of the December 4, 2024 meeting of the Human Services Committee of this Board), the Chairperson of this Board is authorized to execute the agreement on behalf of Genesee County, and the Chief Financial Officer is directed to record the attached budget amendment.