Primary Department: Public Health Services
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Leah Barton - Interim Executive Director
Secondary Department: N/A
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Memorandum of Understanding
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Not a grant item
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request for approval of a memorandum of understanding with Texas Department of State Health Services to submit wastewater data to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Data Collation and Integration for Public Health Event Responses (DCIPHER) system.
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Background and Discussion:
Wastewater surveillance has become a key tool in public health for tracking the spread of infectious diseases, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Harris County Public Health (HCPH) launched its wastewater monitoring program in May 2023 with just four sites, expanding to 24 locations by July 2024. The program, funded through the CDC's Embrace HOPE grant, focuses on detecting COVID-19 levels in wastewater across unincorporated Harris County and nearby cities. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) compiles wastewater data from across Texas and submits it to the CDC's National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS). Right now, Harris County's data is viewed and utilized internally, but this MOU will create an official process for our data to be included in national disease monitoring efforts. This will allow us to contribute to broader public health strategies and improve early detection of outbreaks. ...
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