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: Supplemental RCA
Type of Request: Grant - Application
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): Texas Health and Human Services Commission
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): 22%
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Rate is not 0% and is listed above.
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request by Public Health Services for approval to submit an application to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission for grant funds in the amount of $5,000,000, with no required match, for the FY26 Women’s Preventive Mobile Health Units Expansion Grant.
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Background and Discussion:
The Women’s Preventive Mobile Health Units Expansion Grant provides funds to expand mobile preventive health services for low-income women in underserved Texas communities. The program supports operational expenses for mobile health units that provide women’s preventative health services, including screenings for breast and cervical cancers, pregnancy testing, and screenings and treatments for chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. Harris County Public Health is requesting the court’s permission to apply for this funding to operationalize HCPH’s mobile mammography unit and address these service gaps directly in high-need communities. Funding will support staff and necessary clinical supplies to deploy the unit strategically in underserved areas, prioritizing women who have not received screening in the past 10 years and strengthening referral pathways for diagnostic follow-up and continuity of care.
Expected Impact:
Breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related morbidity and mortality among women, with disparities in screening rates and late-stage diagnoses disproportionately affecting low-income, uninsured, and underinsured populations. In Harris County, barriers such as transportation limitations, lack of insurance, limited provider access in medically underserved areas, and delayed preventive care contribute to gaps in timely mammography screening. While HCPH provides health education and referral services, access to mobile breast cancer screening services has been limited. Approval of this item will enable HCPH’s Community Health and Wellness Division to expand access to breast cancer screening services by launching and sustaining a mobile mammography unit in underserved communities. Increased screening capacity is expected to improve early detection rates, reduce the incidence of late-stage breast cancer diagnoses, and strengthen linkage to diagnostic and treatment services. Over time, earlier detection and improved care coordination are anticipated to reduce avoidable emergency care utilization, decrease long-term treatment costs associated with advanced disease, and improve overall health outcomes for vulnerable women across Harris County.
Alternative Options:
One alternative is to take no action and continue relying on existing fixed-site screening providers and general outreach efforts. However, this approach would not address transportation barriers, geographic access limitations, or the screening gaps experienced by uninsured and underinsured women in high-need areas. Without dedicated operational funding for the mobile mammography unit, HCPH would be unable to expand screening capacity or implement targeted outreach strategies necessary to reduce disparities in breast cancer outcomes.
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.
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Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any):
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Precinct(s): Countywide
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Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total) |
$3,750,000 |
$1,250,000 |
$5,000,000 |
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Anticipated Court Date: 2/26/2026
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): 2/26/2026
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Dr. Ericka Brown, Director of Community Health and Wellness Division, Public Health Services
Attachments (if applicable): RFA, Grant Synopsis, Solicitations Affirmations, Data Use Agreement