Primary Department: Public Health Services
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Leah Barton - Executive Director
Secondary Department: N/A
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Grant - Application
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): U.S. Department of Justice
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): 10%
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Rate is not 0% and is listed above.
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
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Request by Public Health Services for approval to submit an application to the U.S. Department of Justice/Bureau of Justice Assistance for grant funds in the amount of $150,000, with no required match, for the FY25 Kevin and Avonte Program: Reducing Injury and Death of Missing Individuals with Dementia and Developmental Disabilities.
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Background and Discussion:
The BJA FY25 Kevin and Avonte Program: Reducing Injury and Death of Missing Individuals with Dementia and Developmental Disabilities provides federal funding to support prevention and intervention efforts for individuals at risk of wandering and serious injury or death due to environmental hazards, including children with developmental disabilities such as autism. Harris County Public Health is seeking the court's permission to apply for this grant, to support pool safety outreach and increased surveillance of unsafe pools in Harris County zip codes with the highest incidents of drowning. Activities will emphasize safety for children with autism, who are at increased risk of drowning.
Expected Impact:
Approval of this item will enable Harris County to expand and strengthen Environmental Public Health’s pool safety and drowning-prevention efforts by adding staffing capacity and targeted outreach in the highest-risk ZIP codes. Enhanced education for pool operators, homeowners associations, and parents-combined with improved surveillance of unsafe or closed pools-will improve compliance, reduce environmental hazards, and prevent wandering-related drownings among children with developmental disabilities. Over time, these preventive measures are expected to reduce emergency response, hospitalization, and fatality-related costs, resulting in long-term fiscal savings for the County.
Alternative Options:
One alternative is to take no action and continue existing pool safety inspections and general water safety messaging without additional staffing or targeted outreach. However, this approach would limit the County’s ability to address drowning risks in the ZIP codes with the highest incidence of drownings and among children with developmental disabilities.
County Strategic Plan Goal: 1. Make Harris County safer and more just.
County Strategic Plan Objective: N: Improve the health behaviors of community members.
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): Choose an item.
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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Precinct(s): Countywide
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Environmental Public Health - Water Safet and Inspection |
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Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total) |
$101,250 |
$ 48,750 |
$ 150,000 |
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County Attorney’s Office Legal Review (for Harris County Code Items only) |
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Anticipated Court Date: 2/12/2026
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): 2/27/2026
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Scott Jeansonne, Environmental Public Health Division Director, Public Health Services
Attachments (if applicable): RFA, Grant Synopsis, Certification Form