Alert! Amendment shifts county health departments to counties
Friday, February 03, 2012
This week a strike-all amendment for HB 1263 relating to the reorganization of the Department of Health was filed. Among many other provisions, the bill would require counties to take over their local county health departments with the state establishing block grants.
Specifically, the provisions of the bill include:
- A requirement that the Department of Health contracts with each county to establish and maintain a county health department
- Defines specific services to be provided by a county health department
- Establishes criteria for county public health contracts to be eligible for state block grants
- Makes personnel of county health department employees of the county
- Permits two or more counties to combine and operate a county health department by inter-local agreement
The bill also impacts many other issue areas due to the scope of the Department of Health and all of the topics under their main umbrella.
FAC does not have a specific policy statement or guiding principle related to this issue. FAC is reviewing the legislation but is concerned about the possibility of a significant unfunded mandate being passed to counties.
The bill is up on Monday in the Health & Human Services Quality Subcommittee at 3:30 pm.
Please send your thoughts, concerns and questions to FAC Health & Humans Services Advocate Heather Wildermuth.
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