Through a technical assistance grant provided by Green and Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI), a nonprofit corporation, Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS), the County Department of Conservation and Development (DCD), Marin Clean Energy (MCE), the County’s Community Choice Aggregator, and Association for Energy Affordability, Inc. (AEA), a nonprofit corporation, developed a Business Plan for a Green and Healthy Homes Program (also referred to as the “Contra Costa Asthma Initiative”) to implement a comprehensive home-based asthma program.
In coordination with the technical assistance team, in March 2020, CCHS submitted a funding proposal to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) to support the implementation of the Business Plan and was awarded $100,000 to implement the program. A grant agreement was executed between the County and BAAQMD on March 31, 2020.
In April 2020, the County Board of Supervisors authorized CCHS to submit a grant application to the Sierra Health Foundation for the Public Health Division and Contra Costa Health Plan to provide asthma home visiting services, which aligned with the Contra Costa Asthma Initiative Business Plan. In July 2020, CCHS was awarded a $527,558 grant with the State of California Department of Health Care Services and Sierra Health Foundation to implement and administer a Asthma Mitigation Project (or “Contra Costa Asthma Initiative”) for the period of August 1, 2020 through May 15, 2023. On October 13, 2020, the County Board of Supervisors approved a grant agreement between the County and the Sierra Health Foundation to implement and administer the Contra Costa Initiative.
The BAAQMD and Sierra Health Foundation agreements with the County allocate funding to AEA to implement the Contra Costa Asthma Initiative project. The contract would allow AEA to provide, among other things, project management for homes selected in coordination with CCHS for enrollment in home improvement upgrades related to energy efficiency, building electrification, weatherization, and other such improvements known to improve indoor air quality and reduce asthma.
The proposed effective date of this contract will provide for some cost reimbursement for eligible work completed by AEA staff, in accordance with the contract requirements. The work completed under this contract will also ensure that the County meets its obligations under the grant agreements between BAAQMD and Sierra Health Foundation.