Funding of public health top priority for district in 2006
County, city contributions a start but not adequate health officials say
EPHRATA — With its $1.8 million budget approved for 2006, funding of public health remains a high priority for the Grant County Health District as the new year begins.
Dollars remain tight after the district approached officials at the county and city levels asking for $1 contribution per citizen to generate revenue for public health costs in 2006. From those contributions $158,000 has been pledged by the county and $24,000 from six cities within the county.
The health district initially requested around $300,000 from the county, an increase of $150,000 from what it requested in 2005 to treat tuberculosis and other communicable diseases.
Grant County has the highest per capita rate of TB in the state due to a high number of migrant residents.
County Commissioner Richard Stevens said the county is not against the health district's efforts to provide needed services, but wanted to wait until it had finished balancing its financial records for 2005 before committing to give more money to the health district.
The other municipalities either declined to contribute or have not made a decision. A reality that's disturbing to health officials, who contend public health has been under funded in the county for a decade.
Compared to the state average for public health funding which stands at $11.94 per resident, Grant County receives less than $4.
District health officer Dr. Alexander Brzezny said until public health is considered as important as other medical services such as emergency medical services and the local fire departments it will continue to be under funded.
Brzezny remains a strong advocate of increasing public health funding in the county. It's part of the reason he decided to stay in the position of health officer after giving notice he would be leaving at the end of the year to take a job in Georgia.
Municipalities strapped for cash feel they have no other option except to decline their support.
"The problem we have is trying to find funds to cover everything we have to cover and we're in a bit of a problem budget wise," said Coulee City Mayor Bob Little as to why the city did not contribute to public health funding.
Brzezny said the board of health is doing strategic planning in January to construct a one to five year plan of projected county growth and the resources necessary to treat TB, influenza and other widespread illnesses. Outreach to minority populations and improving use of communications systems would be part of the planning.
In 2006, health district officials want to place more emphasis on preventative measures to help save costs and other resources.
"We're not able to give a real targetable focus to prevention activities because we've been busy doing response to disease," said district director of personal health services Peggy Grigg.