Grant-Health Dept for elimination of Syphilis 10-19-1999 - 9e

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: October 19, 1999 Action Agenda Item No. q _ ~, SUBJECT: Accept Continuation of Grant Funds for the Syphilis Elimination Project and Establish a New Public Health Educator Position DEPARTMENT: Health PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/l~ zNo-= ATTACHMENT(S): Continuation Letter from NC DHHS 1998 Grant Application from NC DHHS Syphilis Elimination Project Scope of Work INFOF:MATION CONTACT: Rosemary Summers, Health Director TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Extension 2411 Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 227-2031 PURPOSE: To accept continuation of grant funds for the Syphilis Elimination Project and to establish a new permanent, full-time Public Health Educator position to provide community education and outreach to targeted populations that are at high risk for syphilis. BACKGROUND: In 1998 and now in 1999, North Carolina is ranked first in the nation in the number of primary and secondary syphilis cases. Syphilis has also been identified as a precursor to higher rates of HIV infection in localities that have high syphilis rates. In 1998, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human. Services applied to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a grant to reduce syphilis in the state. Five counties that were high morbidity counties were identified for funding in that initial application; Forsyth, Guilford, Alamance, Orange and Durham. were targeted counties with high morbidity rates. In 1998 Orange County reported 27 cases of primary and secondary syphilis. The CDC awarded the grant for one-year to the state. Orange County received $43,000 to implement the project which includes increasing screening and referrals especially in identified high-risk populations. The health department at that time chose to hire a temporary outreach worker to work on the project since the grant funding was only identified for one year. In the late spring of 1999, the NC Department of Health and Human Services applied for a continuation grant from the CDC for this project. Attached is a letter that indicates that the CDC has approved this project for four additional years of level funding. ($43,000 for Orange County). The attachment entitled; "Syphilis Elimination Project Scope of Work" outlines the program that is already in progress. In Orange County, the temporary outreach worker has secured agreements with the IFC Homeless Shelter and with Freedom House for testing and education of identified individuals at these facilities. In addition, discussions are underway to implement a plan for testing and education at the Orange County Jail.