Building Local Operational Capacity for COVID-19 (BLOC COVID)

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Healthcare Quality and Promotion, has awarded 24 local health departments through the Building Local Operational Capacity for COVID-19, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), and Antimicrobial Resistance(AR) (BLOC COVID-19+) project. The project continues and expands upon the first year of the BLOC COVID-19 Demonstration Site project by allowing LHDs to go beyond COVID-19 response and address other HAIs and AR pathogens.

NACCHO released a request for applications in October 2021 to identify local health departments to receive direct funding with the goal of: strengthening relationships between LHDs and facilities and partners; enhancing LHD capacity and confidence in assessing and supporting infection prevention and control (IPC) practices in high-risk facilities; improving implementation of IPC in high-risk facilities; and decreasing rates of and negative outcomes associated with COVID-19, HAIs, and AR pathogens in those settings.

LHDs will work with facilities with patient populations at high-risk for severe illness and death and particularly those that serve individuals and communities at risk for experiencing healthcare inequities. Anticipated project outcomes include strengthened relationships with facilities and partners; enhanced LHD capacity and confidence in assessing and supporting IPC practices in high-risk facilities; improved implementation of IPC in high-risk facilities; and decreased rates of and/or negative outcomes associated with COVID-19, HAIs, and AR pathogens in those settings. Local health department awardees are:

• Alameda County Health Care Services Agency (CA)
• Calhoun County Health Department (IL)
• Cameron County Public Health (TX)
• Cass County Health Department (IL)
• Central District Health Department (NE)
• City of Brownsville Public Health Department (TX)
• Clay County Public Health Center (MO)
• Columbus Public Health (OH)
• Cook County Department of Public Health (IL)
• County of Fresno – Public Health Department (CA)
• County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency - Public Health Services (CA)
• DuPage County Health Department (IL)
• Fairfax County Health Department (VA)
  
• Farmington Valley Health Department (CA)
• Florida Department of Health in Polk County (FL)
• Hamilton County General Health District (OH)
• Johnson County Department of Health and Environment (KS)
• Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center (IL)
• North Central District Health Department (CT)
• Pima County Health Department (AZ)
• Stark County Health Department (OH)
• Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department (WA)
• Tarrant County Public Health (TX)
• West Hartford-Bloomfield Health District (CT)

These local health departments will implement this project through July 2023.

NACCHO, with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, launched the Building Local Operational Capacity for COVID-19, Healthcare-Associated Infections, and Antimicrobial Resistance (BLOC COVID-19 +). This is a demonstration site project to support local health departments in building their infection prevention and control capacity. For more information, visit NACCHO’s BLOC COVID webpage.

NACCHO has awarded 25 local health departments across the nation with funding to enhance infectious disease prevention and control in high-risk facilities, including:

• Calhoun County Health Department (IL)
• City of El Paso Public Health (TX)
• City of New Haven Health Department (CT)
• Contra Costa Health Services (CA)
• Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health (NY)
• Evanston Department of Health and Human Services (IL)
• Farmington Valley Health District (CT)
• Fort Bend County Health & Human Services (TX)
• Hamilton County Public Health (OH)
• Hennepin County Public Health (MN)
• Ingham County Health Department (MI)
• Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center (IL)
• Lincoln-Lancaster Health Department (NE)
• Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness (KY)
• Mahaska Health (IA)
• Pima County Health Department (AZ)
• Florida Department of Health in Polk County (FL)
• Prince George’s County Health Department (MD)
• Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (VA)
• San Juan Basin Public Health (CO)
• Sangamon County Department of Public Health (IL)
• Public Health - Seattle and King County (WA)
• Stark County Health Department (OH)
• West Hartford / Bloomfield Health District (CT)
• Williamson County and Cities Health District (TX)

Access additional resources to help your local health department engage in IPC activities.