Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: Tara Williams
Department: Human Services Division: Crisis Intervention & Support
Information
Requested Action
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MOTION TO AUTHORIZE County Administrator to negotiate and execute nonfinancial Memorandum of Agreement (“MOA”) BWL24 between the State of Florida, Department of Health, Broward County Health Department and Broward County, effective June 5, 2026 or the date of full execution, whichever is later, through June 4, 2027, to provide human immunodeficiency virus counseling, testing, and referral services to survivors of sexual assault; authorize the County Administrator to execute renewals and amendments to the MOA, subject to legal sufficiency review and approval by the County Attorney’s Office, provided such amendments do not materially increase the County’s obligations; and authorize the County Administrator to take all necessary administrative actions to implement the MOA.
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Why Action is Necessary
Broward County Board of County Commissioners (“Commission”) approval is required for agreements with external agencies.
What Action Accomplishes
Approval of the Motion authorizes the County Administrator to negotiate and execute the MOA, enabling Broward County, through the Nancy J. Cotterman Center (“NJCC”), to continue collaborating with the State of Florida, Department of Health, Broward County Health Department (“BCHD”) in providing sexual assault survivors with human immunodeficiency virus (“HIV”) counseling, testing, and referral services.
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☒County Commission
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Previous Action Taken
None
Summary Explanation/Background
THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE CRISIS INTERVENTION AND SUPPORT DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION.
This action supports the Commission’s value of “building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives,” and the goal of “delivering accessible human services that holistically address the whole person collaboratively and compassionately.” Broward County’s collaboration with BCHD allows sexual assault survivors to continue to receive HIV counseling, testing, and referral services at NJCC.
The MOA BWL24, when approved, will allow NJCC to register with the Florida Department of Health as a non-health care site for HIV counseling and testing for survivors completing a sexual assault medical examination. The MOA provides for BCHD to train NJCC staff in best practices for HIV testing and facilitates NJCC’s continued compliance with accompanying Agreement No. BWF14 (approved June 7, 2022, Item No. 11), which provides for testing for HIV and sexually transmitted infections, and non-occupational postexposure prophylaxis (“nPEP”) treatment for consenting sexual assault survivors, as well as the transportation and testing of biological samples obtained from sexual assault survivors.
The MOA follows the previously approved Memorandum of Agreement BWG59 with BCHD. The Commission approved Memorandum of Agreement BWG59 on May 23, 2023 (Item No. 11). The final renewal term of Memorandum of Agreement BWG59 expires June 4, 2026.
The MOA will be reviewed and approved for legal sufficiency by the County Attorney’s Office prior to execution by the County Administrator.
Source of Additional Information
Yaritza Navarro, Director, Crisis Intervention and Support Division, 954-357-7538
Casey Woolley, Human Services Administrator, Nancy J. Cotterman Center, 954-357-5610
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary
There is no fiscal impact related to the MOA as testing, counseling, and referral services will be performed by existing NJCC staff using funding that has already been appropriated in NJCC’s Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget.