Department: Economic Equity and Opportunity
Department Head/Elected Official: Estella Gonzalez
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Interlocal Agreement
Project ID (if applicable): ARPA_RISE
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD
MWDBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWDBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWDBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request by the Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity for approval of an Interlocal Agreement with The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD in the total amount of $3,891,457.17 to administer the Responsive Intervention Supports & Engagement (RISE) Program.
end
Background and Discussion:
Harris County, which is designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as both a medically underserved community and a health professional shortage area for mental health care providers, has over 4.7 million residents, and is one of the most ethnically diverse areas in the U.S. Over the last 30 years, Harris County's population has grown 67%, twice the national rate resulting in substantial unmet mental health and developmental disability needs, particularly within racial and ethnic minority populations. Given the existing obstacles to care for Black and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) caused by social determinants of health (SDOH), COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in increased vulnerabilities for those with developmental delays.
Targeted zip codes most impacted by COVID are primarily populated by marginalized and/or communities of color, who traditionally use less mental health/developmental supports due to stigma, cultural views, conditions associated with poverty, lack of knowledge, and/or intimidation and frustration with providers and the diagnostic process. COVID has further exacerbated social determinants of health. Job ...
Click here for full text