The Saratoga County Health and Human Services Committee on July 1 voted to accept a multi-year state grant to support children and youth with special health care needs and to accept a public health emergency preparedness award from the state and federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Dr. Koltz, the county public health commissioner, told the committee the special-needs grant totals $386,820 over five years, roughly $77,000 per year, and that the funds will be used to improve system of care functions such as information and referral. She also said a separate one-time, $50,000 award for children and families tied to that program will be presented to the committee next month.

Dr. Koltz also asked the committee to accept state aid for public-health emergency preparedness activities. She described this as longstanding funding established after the 2001 anthrax attacks and said the award will support local preparedness work; the meeting materials list the amount as $231,894. Committee members moved, seconded and approved both acceptance motions by voice vote with no roll call recorded in the transcript.

Dr. Koltz said the special-needs passthroughs will be made available to municipalities within the county through a simple application process administered by the county. The new one-time award will be used to fund community-based projects that increase accessibility and inclusion for children with special health care needs, including facility modifications and adaptive equipment for recreational spaces.

Committee members had no substantive questions at the meeting and approved the motions.