To: Board of Supervisors
From: Dr. Grant Colfax, Health Services Director
Report Title: Grant Agreement #78-077-1 with the California Department of Public Health
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Health Services Director, or designee, to execute Grant Agreement #78-077-1 with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) (State Agreement #25-10386), to pay the County an amount not to exceed $43,673 to support the expansion of Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) and Antimicrobial Resistance (AR) pathogens surveillance at County’s Public Health Laboratories, effective upon signature of both parties through June 30, 2027.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this Grant Agreement will result in an additional amount of $43,673 payable to the County from CDPH. No County match required.
BACKGROUND:
California’s current surveillance for AR pathogens relies on testing performed by local Public Health Laboratories (PHLs), the CDPH Microbial Diseases Laboratory (MDL), and the Washington Regional Antimicrobial Resistance Laboratory Network (ARLN) laboratory. This Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) Strengthening healthcare-associated infections (HAI)/AR Program Capacity (SHARP) program funding will support continuation of antimicrobial resistance (AR) surveillance in California via screening activities for carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPOs) and Candida auris, and AST for Neisseria gonorrhoeae. CDPH priorities for local funding are to maintain current capacity for screening, with consideration for the following: Greater need for testing in region (existence in an underserved area/proximity to underserved jurisdictions); capacity to serve as regional testing center for epi-linked and/or response testing; and local participation in screening, especially from influential facilities (ventilator-equipped skilled nursing facilities and long term acute care hospitals).
On March 25, 2025, the Board of Supervisors approved the County to submit an application to CDPH for grant funding to support the expansion of AR surveillance through screening activities for CPOs and candida auris in ventilated skilled nursing facilities, as well as supporting additional capacity for other optional activities including whole genome sequencing (WGS) for HAI/AR pathogens through the grant period ending July 2027.
Approval of Grant Agreement #78-077-1 will allow County to receive funding for the ELC Strengthening HAI/AR Organism Surveillance Program through June 30, 2027. This Agreement includes an indemnification provision that requires the County to indemnify, defend, and save harmless the State from any claims arising from the County’s performance under the Agreement.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this Grant Agreement is not approved, the County will not receive funds for the ELC Strengthening HAI/AR Organism Surveillance Program.