February 26, 2010

H1N1 Reminder: Deadline for spending Phase I, II, and III Funds is May 31, 2010

PHP&R is advising our public health partners that the deadline for spending Public Health Emergency Response (PHER) Phase III-Response H1N1 Aid-to-Counties (ATC) funds awarded to Local Health Departments (AA 851) and PHRST Teams (AA 853), is May 31, 2010. This is also the spending end-date for Phase I/II funds for Planning (Counties –AA 848; PHRST – AA 850) and Enhanced Surveillance (Counties- AA 849).

At this point we are being warned that it is unlikely we will be able to carry these funds forward to the next fiscal year, so it is essential that you spend these funds before the deadline. There is some discussion at the federal level to allow carry forward of Phase I and II funds but this is not yet guaranteed.

To facilitate this effort, earlier this month we prepared and distributed a list of possible "approvable" uses for all phases of H1N1 funds at the local level. We also noted (see NOTES below) the key reasons why certain requests have been disallowed and listed the means/mechanisms are available to LHDs for those proposals.

If you have specific questions about these issues please contact Fred Jamison, PHP&R Operations Manager, at fred.jamison@dhhs.nc.gov or 919-715-1411.

PHP&R has approved 252 Prior Approval (PA) requests regarding use of AA 848-Planning, AA 849-Enhanced Surveillance, and AA 851-Response funds, based on 258 PA requests to date. The overall PA approval rate is 98 percent. Prior Approval must be obtained for equipment/supplies purchases over $2,500.

LHD Large H1N1 Purchases

The following is a list of approved H1N1 PA request items submitted by LHDs.

Use of H1N1 ATC funds can be further maximized, especially during the current period of reduced H1N1 case activity in preparation for the next H1N1 wave, by making greater use of the following mobilization strategies:

  1. Temporary Staffing Agreements to build the LHD H1N1 work force. To relieve local health departments/districts of any additional H1N1 workload, temporary staffing, volunteers and partners could be H1N1-trained by qualified public health consultants working under contract at the direction of the local health director.
  2. Electronic notification system acquisition to build rapid patient/partner/public notification capabilities throughout the counties. Examples are dedicated H1N1 hot lines, auto-dialer appointment/reminder/recall systems, and flash fax communications.
  3. Mobilized Equipment Procurement to build LHD transport and off-site mass vaccination capabilities. Examples are non-motorized enclosed, H1N1 equipped trailers; mobile immunization work stations; portable refrigerators and generators; and POD boxes/packs.

Denials of Prior Approval requests were due to:

  1. Federally unallowable costs (such as building construction projects, vehicle purchase, or motorized trailer proposals),
  2. General purpose use, not specific to direct H1N1 service activities per CDC H1N1 PHER guidance, benefitting/subsidizing general health department operations, and/or
  3. general preparedness equipment (e.g., radio systems) which is suitable for funding with Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) funding (AA 514) in accord with the AA 514 deliverables.

When denied, PHP&R has suggested alternative ways to LHDs of using PHER, PHEP funds and/or other LHD or county funds in combination so a portion of the total proposed cost could be leveraged with other funds to make the proposal acceptable on a cost sharing, guidance appropriate basis. Those LHDs that reframed their funding strategies to do this have all been approved.

We hope this helps to remind you of the oncoming deadlines and allows you time to work with your agencies to make the best use of these critical funds.

 

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