Primary Department: Public Health Services
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Leah Barton - Executive Director
Secondary Department: Choose an item.
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Position
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
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):
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): Choose an item.
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
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Request for approval and hiring freeze exemption of nine positions effective March 7, 2026, to support the Community Health & Wellness Division.
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Background and Discussion:
Harris County Public Health (HCPH) is requesting the creation of nine positions to place at Riverside, a new clinic location designed to expand access to essential preventive and primary public health services. The Community Health & Wellness Division (CHWD) will provide comprehensive and quality patient care through walk-in STI/HIV screening and treatment, adult and pediatric immunizations, dental health services, and patient care navigation to support residents in accessing specialty care and community resources.
HCPH is also requesting that these positions once created be exempted from the current hiring freeze. The hiring of these 9 positions (One Nurse Practitioner, one Licensed Vocational Nurse, two Medical Assistant, one Patient Care Navigator, one Dentist, two Dental Assistant, and one Dental Client Service Specialist), is aimed at improving health outcomes and expanding access to care across the continuum of services, as well as supporting engagement in ongoing care, and addressing persistent gaps in care, including rising rates of STIs, limited affordable dental services, and barriers to preventive care among vulnerable populations.
On November 3, 2025 HCPH received $4M from Harris Health, placed into the General Fund (1000) to support the creation of these new positions for the Riverside location.
Expected Impact:
Establishing this new team is critical to meeting increased community demand, reducing delays in care, and ensuring the County can deliver timely, patient-centered services in alignment with HCPH’s mission and strategic priorities. Without dedicated staffing, the new location cannot operate at the necessary capacity to provide walk-in care, ensure appropriate clinical oversight, maintain compliance with public health standards, or offer the wraparound services needed to improve long-term health outcomes.
Alternative Options:
N/A
County Strategic Plan Goal: 4. Improve physical and mental health outcomes across all communities.
County Strategic Plan Objective: O: Increase access to quality health care, including preventive and behavioral health.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): Choose an item.
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): Choose an item.
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): Choose an item.
Health Initiative (Goal 4): O4: Increase community health care capacity.
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): Choose an item.
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): Choose an item.
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any):
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Location:
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Current Fiscal Year Cost |
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Labor |
Non-Labor |
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Funding Sources |
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Existing Budget |
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1000 - General Fund |
$720,108 |
$ |
$720,108 |
$1,248,187 |
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$ |
$ |
$ |
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$ |
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Total Existing Budget |
$720,108 |
$ |
$720,108 |
$1,248,187 |
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Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
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Total Funding Sources |
$720,108 |
$ |
$720,108 |
$1,248,187 |
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Grants - Proposed Budget (For Grants Items only) |
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Non-Labor |
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No. of Grant Years |
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Local Match Source - Existing Budget: Choose an item. |
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Local Match Source - Additional Budget Request: Choose an item. |
$ |
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Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total) |
$ |
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$ |
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Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new Position Control Numbers (PCN)s) |
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Current Position Count for Service |
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Additional Positions Request |
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Total Personnel |
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County Attorney’s Office Legal Review (for Harris County Code Items only) |
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CAO Reviewer Name and Title |
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CAO Review Completion Date |
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Anticipated Court Date: 2/26/2026
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): 3/7/2026
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: James Dinkins, Chief People Officer, Harris County Public Health
Attachments (if applicable): 3441