Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: Tara Williams
Department: Human Services Division: Community Partnerships
Information
Requested Action
title
A. MOTION TO AUTHORIZE County Administrator to execute amendments to agreements with specified service providers, effective April 15, 2026, to support increased availability of Integrated Primary Care and Behavioral Health services, Local AIDS Pharmaceutical Assistance services, and Health Insurance Continuation Program services for persons living with HIV in Broward County, subject to review and approval for legal sufficiency by the County Attorney’s Office, provided such amendments do not impose any additional financial obligations on the County; and authorize the County Administrator to take all necessary administrative and budgetary actions to implement the Agreements as amended.
ACTION: (T-11:31 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
B. MOTION TO APPROVE waivers of conflict under Section 112.313(7)(a), Florida Statutes, for the following Broward County advisory board members holding an employment or contractual relationship with an entity receiving funds for the performance of services under this agenda item.
1. Melida J. Akiti
2.Bradford J. Barnes
3. Von A. Biggs
4. Dionne J. Blackwood
5. Evan L. Boyar
6. Jose Castillo
7. Aaron Cutright
8. Stephen L. Demers
9. David M. Feldman
10. Alexander M. Fernandez
11. Bisiola O. Fortune-Evans
12. Vincent J. Foster
13. Gregory Gayle
14. Kendra Hayes
15. Ronenia A. Jenkins
16. Rafael F. Jimenez
17. Chauniqua D. Kiffin
18. Alondra Machado
19. Bradley Paul Mester
20. Timothy R. Moragne
21. Deborah A. Mulligan
22. Candace M. Pineda
23. Mark S. Schweizer
24. Annamma Udaya Thomas
25. Alexander Torres
ACTION: (T-11:31 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
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Why Action is Necessary
A. Broward County Board of County Commissioners ("Commission") approval is required to authorize the County Administrator to execute the amendments to the agreements.
B. A waiver of conflict arising under Section 112.313(7)(a), Florida Statutes, requires two-thirds approval by the Commission.
What Action Accomplishes
Authorization of Motion A authorizes the County Administrator to execute amendments to agreements with specified service providers; and authorizes the County Administrator to take all necessary administrative and budgetary actions to implement the Agreements as amended.
Approval of Motion B waives the existence of any conflicts arising under Section 112.313(7)(a), Florida Statutes, as authorized under applicable law.
Goal Related Icon(s)
☒County Commission
☐Go Green
☐MAP Broward
Previous Action Taken
None.
Summary Explanation/Background
THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTIONS.
These actions support 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.”
Reducing income eligibility requirements to less than or equal to 300% of the Federal Poverty Level (“FPL”) for the agreements identified in Exhibit 1 will support increased availability of Integrated Primary Care and Behavioral Health services, Local AIDS Pharmaceutical Assistance services, and Health Insurance Continuation Program services (collectively, “Core Medical Services”) for persons living with HIV in Broward County. These actions are recommended due to an expected surge in demand resulting from changes made by the State of Florida to the Florida Department of Health’s (“FDOH”) AIDS Drug Assistance Program (“ADAP”), which provides direct access to HIV medications to eligible individuals and, in certain instances, assists with covering the costs of their health insurance, copays, and deductibles. Amending the agreements will allow for Core Medical Services to be provided to additional individuals, including those negatively impacted by the FDOH ADAP changes.
On February 17, 2026, the Commission adopted Resolution No. 2026-028 (Item 5) authorizing appropriation and disbursement of Ryan White Program funds to specified service providers in the estimated aggregate amount of $19,946,634 for Ryan White fiscal year 2026-2027.
On February 24, 2026, the FDOH reduced the eligibility threshold for ADAP assistance from 400% to 130% of the FPL and discontinued ADAP-funded insurance premium assistance effective March 3, 2026. FDOH simultaneously removed the most commonly prescribed antiretroviral drug, Biktarvy, from the ADAP formulary, thereby eliminating access to the drug for all ADAP recipients. Individuals who lost their health insurance coverage or access to their antiretroviral medications are expected to seek these Core Medical Services through the Ryan White Part A program. On March 24, 2026, Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 697, which temporarily restored the previous income eligibility thresholds through June 30, 2026, but did not restore ADAP-funded premium assistance for any ADAP recipients or reinstate Biktarvy to the ADAP formulary.
On February 26, 2026, in an effort to make more funding available to the specified Core Medical Services, the Broward County HIV Health Services Planning Council (“HIVPC”) voted to reduce income eligibility requirements for all Ryan White service categories to less than or equal to 300% of FPL, except for the Core Medical Services.
On February 27, 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services established a 60-day Special Enrollment Period (“SEP”) to provide “some relief for thousands of Floridians facing sudden insurance disruptions because of Florida’s ADAP eligibility and premium assistance cuts” (Exhibit 2). The SEP began on March 1, 2026, and ran through April 30, 2026.
On March 26, 2026, the Commission adopted Resolution No. 2026-70 (Item 50) in part urging the State of Florida to restore the prior ADAP eligibility criteria and benefits, including AIDS drug and insurance premium assistance.
Also on March 26, 2026, the HIVPC voted to reallocate funds among Ryan White service categories to decrease funding for certain services and increase funding for the Core Medical Services to allow the expected additional individuals to be served. This reallocation was implemented through contract adjustments under the terms of the agreements.
On April 9, 2026, in an effort to assist individuals impacted by the termination of ADAP-funded health insurance premium assistance, the HIVPC voted to allow Broward County’s Health Insurance Continuation Program to assist with Affordable Care Act health insurance premiums, with assistance capped at $2,700 per client, per calendar year, for individuals earning between 100% and 250% of the FPL. This item seeks authority for the County Administrator to implement that change via amendment.
On May 25, 2026, the Florida legislature reached an agreement to reverse FDOH’s changes to ADAP by restoring eligibility to 400 percent of the FPL, reinstating Biktarvy to the ADAP formulary, and providing $75 million to operate ADAP during the upcoming state fiscal year. However, the legislative proposal limits prescription drug assistance recipients to 21,000 per year and does not specify whether ADAP’s insurance assistance will be reinstated. The new budget was voted on May 29, 2026, and is pending the Governor’s approval.
To avoid an interruption of Core Medical Services resulting from a surge in demand that could continue even after the new budget passes due to the new limitations and lack of clarity regarding ADAP insurance assistance, the Human Services Department is requesting Commission authorization for the County Administrator to execute amendments to reduce income eligibility requirements to less than or equal to 300% of FPL for the agreements identified in Exhibit 1, effective April 15, 2026, subject to review and approval for legal sufficiency by the Office of the County Attorney.
Approval of this item would give rise to certain employment conflicts under Section 112.313(7)(a), Florida Statutes, which provides that “no public officer... shall have or hold any employment or contractual relationship with any business entity... which is... doing business with an agency of which he or she is an officer or employee.” In accordance with Section 112.313(12), Florida Statutes, Commission approval is required to waive any conflict of interest arising under Section 112.313(7)(a), Florida Statutes. An effective waiver requires two-thirds vote of the Commission after disclosure of the conflicting relationship (Motion B) in accordance with Section 112.313(12), Florida Statutes. Forms 4A, Disclosure of Business Transaction, Relationship, or Interest, are attached to this report as Exhibit 3 and constitutes full disclosure of any existing conflict.
Source of Additional Information
Cassandra L. Evans, Director, Community Partnerships Division, (954) 357-6398
Jessica Roy, Administrator, Health Care Services, (954) 357-5394
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary
There is no fiscal impact to Broward County. The specified Agreements are 100% grant funded.