HomeMy WebLinkAbout16-01 - Res. Declaring that Public Health is Essential and Requesting the State of WA Provide Funding - 2016/11/29 f
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION declaring that Public Health is Essential and requesting-the State-of -
Washington provide funding
WHEREAS,'the' public health system in Washington provides the foundation for the.larger
health care:framework, working to prevent illness.and disease while-supporting the work of
community partners; and
WHEREAS, tracking, responding to,and preventing costly food and water contamination and
disease outbreaks is essential to protecting the public's health; and
WHEREAS, state and local public health officials, together with local leaders,.have.identified,an. :
agreed;upon set of core public health services that should.be available for every Washingtonian;
and
WHEREAS, after a century of increasing life expectancies, today these gains are threatened by
new and more complex diseases, continued tobacco use and preventable chronic diseases,:
putting today's.children at risk of becoming the first generation to have shorter:life.expectancies
than their parents, and
WHEREAS, the public's well-being is also threatened by public health's inability to meet is-basic
responsibility to provide these core:services due to changes in its funding structure, complex.
and new diseases, and growing populations;.and.
WHEREAS, the motor vehicle excise tax was repealed in 2000, leaving.the public health system
without an adequate and sustainable funding source; and
WHEREAS, Washington state's.population'has grown by more than one million.residents since
2000, and is expected to grow'by another two million residents by 2025; and
WHEREAS,. it now takes staff 40 percent Longer to investigate-and stop—outbreaks Of
footlborne illness like.E. coli due to growing complexity of the diseases:and cuts to.the program;
and
WHEREAS;. Mason County has been experiencing rising numbers of heroin and'opioid
addiction, youth suicides and sexually transmitted infections-in.many cases, higher than the
state average—but lacks resources,to make needed short-,and long-term improvements; and:
WHEREAS; over the last.four years, state:and local:public health leaders have developed.a:
plan to modernize the state's public:health system, ensuring core services:are available m. .
everywhere and.designating others that can be effectively and efficiently shared between health
departments; and
WHEREAS without securin ongoing, stable;and dedicated fundin for core public health
9 g. p ---,.'
services, our communities are left unprepared for emergencies like the-SR 530 Slide, and
vulnerable to the spread of communicable diseases like Zika and.whooping.cough;:and
WHEREAS;.rebuilding and refocusing our public health services means we can better monitor
and coordinate emergency responses'keeping our families and communities safe, reducing
costs for taxpayers,.and protecting our local economy; and.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE;IT RESOLVED; the Mason County Board of Health calls on the
Washington state.legislature to recognize that public health is essential and provide:the critical
down payment to support core services in all communities and allow public health_ to rebuild its
statewide system with added efficiency.
BOARD OF HEALTH
MASON.COUNTY,WASHINGTON
ATTEST:
Daft --Z r ,:Clerk of the Board Peggy Van Buskirk, Public Hospital District #2
Commissioners,Chair
Dated: Nov,29.2016
Randy Neatherlin,County Commissioner_
Tim Sheldon,County Commissioner
j
Kathy McDowell City of Shelton Commissioner
Terri Jeffreys,Cou y Commissioner,
rr--
Public Hospital District#1,COO Eileen Branscome .:
c
Staff Report
Background
Tracking, responding to, and preventing costly food and water contamination and disease
outbreaks are essential to protecting the public's health. Disease epidemics like Ebola and Zika
are more complex and taking longer to investigate, and our population is expected to grow by
another two million residents by 2025.Yet the new, complex threats and recession budget cuts
have made it harder for the public health system to protect and serve Washington's families and
communities.
A:Shared Responsibility &A New.Framework
Providing public health services is a shared state and local responsibility. Some public health
services are so'critical that they must be provided to every resident of Washington state. Other
public health needs may be unique to.dertain regions of our state; so each.community
determines and implements local priorities. The foundational public health services model
ensures all residents can depend on a core set of services which only governmental public
health can provide.
FOUNDATIONAL
PUBLIC HEALTH IN
WASHINGTON STATE
Ensuring all residents can depend
on a core set of services which,only
- governmental public health can provide.
►44 PROGRAMS
Core A basic sect of progranis that are
Public accessible in every comr unity
Health across the stale.
Services Hewth
0 CAPABILITIES
Capabilities&infrastructure.
to support foundational
PublicHealth
clinicalcare -programming.
MEETING LOCAL NEEDS .
In addition to these core programs
and capabilities„there are other
services implemented to meet
community-driven needs.
A Critical Down Payment and New Delivery Model ,
Our public health system has agreed on those set of core services that the state should
financially support so that every community in Washington-has equal access to public health.
programs and services. The legislature is being asked to support those core services, and to
allow us to rebuild our system with added efficiency, by providing the following down payment:
$50 Million for Local Health Departments
Local health departments track, respond to, and prevent public health epidemics at the
community level -this funding will fill critical gaps in disease prevention and.response.
$6 Million for State Department of Health
t, Our State Department of Health also.needs to improve its capacity for disease
monitoring and investigations --and expand its laboratory capacity to.meet increased
demand.
$4 Million for Modernization
Local public health must respond quickly and efficiently to outbreaks. Over the last four
years, state and local-public health leaders have developed a plan to modernize the
state's public health system, ensuring core services are available everywhere and
designating others that can be effectively and efficiently shared between health
departments.
Rebuilding and.refocusing our public health.services means we can better monitor.and
coordinate emergency response—keeping our communities safe, reducing costs for taxpayers,
and protecting our local economy. . .
Local-boards of-health from around the state are being asked to pledge their support to the -
effort by adopting resolutions similar..to the one.in =exhibit f�.
Recommended Motion
M,oueto ado�'t,Resol,ution♦X�XXX, as ro osed in,.Exhibit�►. =