Subject:
Title
Brevard County Fire Rescue - Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund Grant
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Fiscal Impact:
+ $462.474.10
Dept/Office:
Fire Rescue Department
Requested Action:
Recommendation
Request approval to accept the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund grant in the amount of $462,474.10. Request authority for the County Manager or designee Fire Chief Mark Schollmeyer (Medicare account administrator) to sign the HHS attestation documents, subject to County Attorney review of the HHS terms and conditions. Request authority for the Chair to sign any required contract amendments to implement Brevard County Fire Rescue’s obligations under the grant.
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Summary Explanation and Background:
On April 10, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provided Brevard County Fire Rescue (the Recipient) with a Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund grant of $462,474.10 to cover certain COVID-19 public health emergency costs. This was an automatic transfer to Fire Rescue because Brevard County Fire Rescue is a Medicare healthcare provider who diagnoses, tests or cares for individuals with possible or actual cases of COVID-19. The HHS provided an email following the transfer of funds that requires Brevard County Fire Rescue to agree to certain terms and conditions on the use of the funds within thirty (30) days.
Under the terms of agreement, the funds may only be utilized “to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, and shall reimburse the Recipient only for healthcare related expenses or lost revenues that are attributable to coronavirus.”
Additionally, “for all care for a possible or actual case of COVID-19, Recipient certifies that it will not collect from the patient out-of-pocket expenses in an amount greater than what the patient would have otherwise been required to pay if their care had been provided by an in-network Recipient.”
Fire Rescue is required to submit quarterly reports to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services detailing all projects and activities for which the funds were expended; and to maintain auditable records on the use of funds.
The full terms of agreement shall be reviewed by the County Attorney’s Office prior to signing the attestation and accepting the relief funds. In order to implement the attestation and grant terms, some Fire Rescue contracts may require contract amendments, which is being worked in coordination with CAO.
Clerk to the Board Instructions: