Committee forwards retroactive CDC grant increases to DPH for HIV monitoring and STD prevention

The Budget & Finance Committee unanimously voted to forward two retroactive Department of Public Health grant acceptances from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Ling Su, DPH director of HIV surveillance and epidemiology, described the Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) as a supplemental HIV surveillance system run since 2006 that collects locally representative data on people with HIV, including those not in care, to inform services and link people into care. The grant increase described in committee will support the MMP data collection and referral work; the clerk read the total as approximately $1,100,000.

Separately, DPH presented a grant increase to support sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention and control workforce needs, described as a supplement to fund disease‑intervention specialists, case investigation, contact tracing, outbreak management, and training and data systems. Joshua Cristentiello told the committee these funds will help expand staff and respond to Mpox and other STD challenges; total was described in committee as approximately $3,300,000 (including a $2,200,000 grant increase).

Presenters said subaward dates postdated program start dates, which required retroactive acceptance. There were no public callers for either item. Chair Supervisor Hillary Ronan moved both items forward to the Board with positive recommendations; Vice Chair Asha Safaei and Chair Ronan recorded aye votes and the motions were forwarded as unanimous among present members (2 ayes, one member excused).

Both grants are pass‑through grants used to support surveillance, workforce capacity and service referrals; the Board file will include grant terms and budgets.