Item Coversheet

Board Action Request
18-0532

Item Description:
Agmt A189288 with the MN Dept of Health to provide funding for HIV outreach and early intervention services programming, 03/01/18–12/31/19, $207,900 (recv)
Resolution:

BE IT RESOLVED, that Agreement A189288 with the Minnesota Department of Health to provide funding to NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center for HIV outreach and early intervention services during the period March 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019, in the receivable amount of $207,900 be approved; and that the Chair of the Board be authorized to sign the Agreement on behalf of the county; and that the Controller be authorized to disburse funds as directed; and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that sponsorship and acceptance of the grant funding for this program by the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners does not imply a continued funding commitment for this program when grant funds are no longer available.

Background:

NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center (NorthPoint) responded to a Request for Proposal from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to provide highly targeted prevention efforts addressing Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Actions associated with this funding include HIV testing, counseling and referral services in specific areas to targeted populations.

There are an estimated 1,100 individuals in Minnesota living with HIV that do not know their status. MDH has funded NorthPoint to engage in innovative approaches to targeted HIV testing to reduce the number of individuals that are unaware of their status. Targeted testing is a strategy that involves testing persons based on characteristics that increase their likelihood of being infected.

Through local epidemiologic data MDH identified certain populations to be at disproportionate risk for HIV infection. Ten zip codes in MN responsible for close to 30 percent of the HIV disease burden; 55407, 55403, 55404, 55408, 55411, 55104, 55412, 55106, 55406 and 55405. In addition to geographic location, the disease burden also disproportionately affects populations such as Black and Latinx MSM. In order to address these disparities, providers with expertise and geographic availability are charged to provide EIS for the prioritized populations. EIS activities consist of counseling individuals in the target population regarding HIV, testing for HIV, linkage to care and treatment for HIV positive individuals and referrals for HIV negative individuals to PrEP and other prevention services.

NorthPoint received a grant contract from MDH for these services on July 27, 2018. NorthPoint will provide EIS as described above for Black and Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) in the 55411, 55412, and 55405 zip codes. NorthPoint’s services under this grant also support MDH’s Advancing Health Equity Initiative, which was launched in 2014 to promote health equity and reduce disease prevalence among populations disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS.

Services will be provided with existing staff. No new FTE’s are being requested.

Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval
ATTACHMENTS:
DescriptionUpload DateType
Contract Details Form11/2/2018Backup Material