Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: Rebecca MacDougall
Department: Medical Examiner and Trauma Services
Information
Requested Action
title
MOTION TO AUTHORIZE County Administrator or designee to approve and execute a Memorandum of Agreement with the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) for FDOH to provide funding for a forensic epidemiologist position at the Medical Examiner’s Office for the period from January 31, 2025, through August 31, 2028, in the amount of $135,355 annually, subject to review and approval as to legal sufficiency by the Office of the County Attorney; and authorize the County Administrator to take all necessary administrative and budgetary actions to implement the agreement.
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Why Action is Necessary
Board approval is required to authorize execution of the Memorandum of Agreement.
What Action Accomplishes
Allows the County Administrator or the County Administrator’s designee to approve and execute the Memorandum of Agreement with FDOH to fund a forensic epidemiologist position at the Medical Examiner’s Office to collect and analyze overdose data, communicate surveillance results to stakeholders at state and local levels, and support overdose surveillance objectives under the Overdose Data to Action Surveillance and Prevention Implementation Project.
Goal Related Icon(s)
☒County Commission
☐Go Green
☐MAP Broward
Previous Action Taken
None
Summary Explanation/Background
THE OFFICE OF MEDICAL EXAMINER AND TRAUMA SERVICES RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE ACTION.
This item supports the Board’s Accountable Government goal of consistently delivering responsive, efficient, inclusive, and equitable quality services to the public and internal customers while providing a safe community to live, work and visit.
FDOH is a recipient of grant funds from the Center for Disease Control for the Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) program, which supports jurisdictions in implementing prevention activities and in collecting accurate, comprehensive, and timely data on nonfatal and fatal overdoses and in using those data to enhance programmatic and surveillance efforts.
Approval of this item will support state Overdose Data to Action Surveillance and Prevention Implementation Project by funding a forensic epidemiologist position at the Medical Examiner’s Office to collect and analyze overdose data, communicate surveillance results to stakeholders at state and local levels, and support overdose surveillance objectives.
Source of Additional Information
Dr. Rebecca MacDougall, Director, Office of Medical Examiner and Trauma Services, 954-357-5209
Thomas Steinkamp, Chief of Investigative Services, Office of Medical Examiner and Trauma Services, 954-357-5237
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary
FDOH will provide $135,355.00 annually through Fiscal Year 2028 to fund a forensic epidemiologist position at the Medical Examiner’s Office.