Community Testing

PUBLIC HEALTH

County Spending Category
3.3 Support the Sustained Public Health Response to COVID-19
Federal Expenditure Category
COVID-19 Testing
Project Launch Date
11/01/2023
Anticipated End Date
12/31/2026
Interpretation Languages
  • Spanish
Written Languages
  • Spanish

Project Contacts

Indicators & Metrics to Date

  • Vendor Operation Meetings
    7
  • Execute contract(s) with vendor(s)
    2
  • Conduct twice monthly public outreach efforts
    28
  • Conduct survey regarding perceptions of improved health outcomes
    0
  • Percent of survery responders that reported positive health outcomes
    0
  • Strategically place 100 kiosks/dispensing machines in high need communities.
    0
  • Conduct genomic sequencing on 500 positive COVID-19 samples a week.
    5721
  • Distribute COVID-19 antigen tests
    2829648
  • Identify 100% of genomic clusters
    100
  • Analyze and report on 100% of reported SARS-CoV-2 sequencing data from LAC residents submitted via ELR
    100

Target Populations

  • People with Disabilities
  • Individuals Experiencing Mental Health Disorders
  • Individuals Experiencing Substance Use Disorders
  • People Experiencing Homelessness
  • Systems Impacted Individuals
  • Seniors and Homebound

Project Description

COVID-19 continues to have a substantial impact on residents across LA County, with a disproportionate burden on vulnerable communities, including people of color, the elderly, the uninsured, the underinsured, and others. The pandemic exacerbated existing health and socioeconomic inequities, which continue, even as cases, clusters, and outbreaks of the virus have waned. As a vital part of providing ongoing support to our communities, DPH continues a long-standing, wide range of activities that began in early 2020. In December 2021, DPH began antigen test kit distribution to many communities, which continues today. Further, on April 1, 2023, all DHS community testing services transitioned to DPH. DPH has and continues to work closely with county, state, and federal agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Emergency Medical Services Agency (EMSA), as well as a broad and strong partnership community residents and stakeholders. DPH leverages existing community partnerships to distribute antigen tests to organizations and agencies across 28 sectors and support other modes of COVID-19 testing; provide therapeutic medicines free of charge to those at higher risk of severe illness from the virus; offer vaccination services and test distribution to those who are homebound and otherwise unable to access vaccinations and tests; and provide outbreak management, timely communications, and education. Supporting a broad range of community testing modalities with this dedicated funding will strengthen our approach, deepen our reach, and complement the range of services already in place to support those who are most vulnerable. With the Public Health Emergency ending, DPH’s services have a particularly important impact given the reduced, no-cost access to testing, vaccines, therapeutic medicines, and masks. Through the opportunity to support ongoing community testing access with expanded distribution efforts and reach in the hardest-hit communities, we will have a greatly enhanced ability to serve those who have experienced some of the highest rates of COVID-19, with higher rates of mortality, severe illness, and hospitalization than the general population. DPH’s community testing mission builds upon existing community testing services through Public Health Centers, and provides robust antigen test distribution, including to those who are homebound. Antigen Test distribution across sectors will continue with DPH's existing inventory of antigen tests. Fixed site kiosk/dispensing machines provide a best practice option for accessing free antigen tests without making an appointment or waiting in line in an accessible location. In addition, genomic sequencing is an important factor in identifying variants of interest or concern as part of an early alert system; and a secure and streamlined warehousing of resources as a hub for distribution is vital to the effort. This work complements ongoing services offered by our department to ensure equity of service access and mitigate the spread and detrimental long-term health effects of COVID-19.

Goals & Objectives

Goal Description By June 30, 2025, respond to the ongoing spread of COVID-19 by distributing 5,000,000 free antigen tests in neighborhoods and communities with high needs and lack of resources as identified by health, racial, and socioeconomic metrics, including the Healthy Places Index (HPI) and the Equity Explorer Tracker.

Objective Description To ensure that residents who lack access to free testing resources can obtain these resources from convenient locations and utilize them when needed to support healthier outcomes.

Activity Description Identify and contract with vendors to provide community testing access (including kiosks/dispensing machines) and warehouse services.
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
15 Performance Execute contract(s) with vendor(s) 1.00 2.00

Activity Description Distribute antigen tests, strategically locate kiosks/dispensing machines for greater antigen test access, and conduct digital marketing efforts to reach the target population.
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
4 Service Delivery Strategically place 100 kiosks/dispensing machines in high need communities. 0.00 100.00
8 Service Delivery Distribute COVID-19 antigen tests 5000000.00 5000000.00
10 Service Delivery Conduct twice monthly public outreach efforts 48.00 48.00
26 Service Delivery Vendor Operation Meetings 0.00 48.00

Activity Description To conduct whole genomic sequencing on positive COVID-19 samples to help identify variants of interest and share these findings with the public as an early alert measure of the spread of the virus.
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
5 Performance Conduct genomic sequencing on 500 positive COVID-19 samples a week. 500.00 500.00

Activity Description Identify genomic clusters of SARS-CoV-2 among LA County residents with COVID-19 whose respiratory specimen were sequenced and reported within the past 60 days
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
1 Performance Identify 100% of genomic clusters 50.00 100.00

Activity Description Analyze and report SARS-CoV-2 sequencing data from LA County residents reported to DPH via ELR
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
1 Performance Analyze and report on 100% of reported SARS-CoV-2 sequencing data from LAC residents submitted via ELR 50.00 100.00

Outcome Description Increase in reported positive health outcomes in Los Angeles County residents, such as in skilled nursing facilities, homeless shelters, other congregate living facilities, and community member feedback.
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
11 Program Outcome Conduct survey regarding perceptions of improved health outcomes 100.00 1000.00
12 Program Outcome Percent of survery responders that reported positive health outcomes 75.00 75.00