DEPARTMENT: Health
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Dr. Thomas L. Schlenker
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Ratifying the Acceptance of Funds from the Department of Homeland Security for Laboratory Support
SUMMARY:
This Ordinance authorizes acceptance of funds from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in an amount not to exceed $30,000.00 for the laboratory infrastructure support of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District's (Metro Health's) BioWatch Program. Host laboratories, nationwide, are required to submit an invoice no later than September 30, 2014. Funding will then be available for use on an as-needed basis for the period ending September 10, 2015. A need has been identified to make improvements to new laboratory facilities as part of overall laboratory operations.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Metro Health's laboratory services branch provides analytical support for various public health programs. The laboratory is host to the BioWatch Program and provides the infrastructure support for testing activities under the Branch Laboratory Director. The laboratory as a whole is comprised of several testing areas that are designed to serve a variety of functions, customers and regulatory agencies in a 29-county region which include San Antonio and Bexar County. The laboratory structure is divided by regulatory programs and functions: consumer microbiology and testing, infectious disease surveillance, bioterrorism/influenza surveillance, rabies analysis and food surveillance.
DHS provides contract lab staff to provide capacity and capability to perform analysis to assist with public health emergency response activities. This funding opportunity will provide laboratory infrastructure support for BioWatch Program activities. A need has been identified to make improvements to new laboratory facilities as part of overall laboratory operations.
ISSUE:
Metro Health is requesting City Council ratification of the ac...
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