COVID-19 Response with LSUHN|F

The Louisiana State University Healthcare Network and Louisiana State University Health Foundation (LSUHN|F) is a group of multi-specialty physician practices comprised of distinguished members of the LSU Health Medical School faculty, offering over 30 specialties with numerous sub-specialties. LSUHN|F partners internally with the various Louisiana State University Schools of Practice, including Allied Health, Dentistry, and Nursing to operated clinics in Louisiana, dedicated to patient care, research and education. The philanthropic foundation supports and promotes the charitable, scientific and educational mission of LSU Health Sciences including the Schools of Medicine, Public Health, and Graduate Studies. The LSU Health Sciences Center was founded in 1931 and includes an academic staff of approximately 650 serving over 2,500 medical students, as part of the largest public university system in the state of Louisiana.

In March 2020, all 50 states, the District of Columbia, five territories, and numerous tribes are working directly with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under a nationwide emergency declaration for COVID-19 pursuant to the Stafford Act. Under this emergency declaration certain private non-profit (PNP) organizations are eligible to apply for funding through FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program. In addition, Congress approved several funding mechanisms to support PNPs and other entities during the national emergency.

PROCEDEO was engaged to provide guidance for determining the eligibility of LSUHN|F as a PNP PA applicant, recovering reimbursement for operational losses and management, control and reduction of immediate threats to public health and safety, recovering reimbursement for the repair/replacement of the loss of critical infrastructure, and construction of damaged and new emergency facilities. PROCEDEO was also responsible for ensuring the grant application process was cohesive across multiple complex funding sources, mitigating any duplication of benefit that could lead to a deobligation of funds or audit findings from multiple oversight agencies including the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General.

PROCEDEO conducted needs assessments and eligibility crosswalks to determine compliance with applicable local, State, and Federal laws, regulations, executive orders, and FEMA requirements in accordance with the COVID-19 emergency and major disaster declaration. The subject matter experts of PROCEDEO then engaged in program formulation including damage assessments, project development, federal grant recipient alignment through Cooperative Endeavor Agreements, and prepared project worksheets and supporting information for submission to the to the Louisiana Governor’s Office and FEMA. PROCEDEO performed cost duplication analysis of other Federal grant opportunities such as the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Acts through the Small Business Administration and the US Department of Health and Human Services.

PROCEDEO navigated the political environment and regulatory compliance to ensure repair of damaged facilities, procurement of medical supplies, and adaptive infrastructure complies with FEMA eligibility and cost reasonableness determinations. Established a document control and file retention system supported by robust data management processes to ensure disaster records are complete and ready for audit. This process includes preparing and review of final closeout packages for completed work in compliance with federal grant program requirements, and development of hazard mitigation strategies for current and future disaster events.