10/08/26 Board of Health for Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County

The October 8, 2026, meeting of the Board of Health for Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County included approval of the September meeting minutes and a package of 10 grants and contracts. The board approved the package by motion, with no opposition. Amounts identified in the transcript included a $41,693 direct appropriation to My Father’s House for HIV surveillance and prevention; a $251,199 WIC grant amendment; a $1,469,770 opioid grant to Samaritan Recovery; a $375,000 community safety grant to Why We Can’t Wait; $299,319 in additional STI-prevention funding; and a $1,562,900 TB-prevention grant. A Tennessee State University agreement was also mentioned, but its details—and those of some other items in the 10-item package—were unclear in the transcript.

Board members asked about the Why We Can’t Wait grant, which had previously been delayed during the approval process. Department representatives said funding remained available, the organization was not responsible for the earlier issue, and the team had completed documentation and performance-tracking work to move the agreement forward. The board also heard a presentation on the Heart of Nashville hypertension initiative, including its outcomes and plans for a sustainable community food hub; participants discussed seeking continued funding, but no new funding decision was made. The meeting also covered website accessibility improvements and upcoming board elections, with no related procurement action identified.