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At Risk: Our Community's Health
The Cure: Stable, long-term funding solutions for local public health |
We are in a budget crisis: flat or declining revenue sources are not keeping up with the cost of delivering critical public health services, and significant reductions are proposed for 2009. The King County Board of Health has called on the State Legislature to create sources of stable, dedicated and long-term funding for local public health |
Public Health is doing its part Public Health has taken a close look at how it does business, and is working smarter, more creatively and more efficiently than ever with available resources. But it’s not enough. Federal, state and local funding sources for Public Health – Seattle & King County are failing to meet the cost of providing critical public health services that protect the public and serve the most vulnerable. Federal grants are declining, state funding has remained flat for the past decade, and our ability to raise funds locally for public health is extremely limited. King County is faced with a budget crisis that will mean reductions of $19 million for Public Health in 2009. We are facing difficult reduction proposals now AND in the future In 2009, people who rely on public health clinical services, such as immunizations, maternity support, and family planning are in danger of losing the services they count on to get and stay healthy. Also at risk are essential public health services that protect everybody, such as communicable disease, HIV, STD and tuberculosis control. To avoid an immediate catastrophe, King County Executive Sims has proposed a six month “lifeboat” of funding to prevent $8 million of cuts that would have the most serious health impacts to our community. But without a long-term, stable funding solution, these reductions will be made in June 2009 and more reductions in future years are inevitable. And we are not alone – local health departments around the state are experiencing similar difficulties. Adequate, stable and dedicated public health funding is needed to protect our community The King County Board of Health called on the State of Washington to provide adequate, stable, dedicated, long-term financing for local public health statewide and financing options for local jurisdictions to protect, promote and provide for the health of the public. The Board has identified 12 possible ways the legislature can create stable funding for public health. Additionally, it has urged that this issue top King County’s state legislative agenda for the upcoming 2009 session. For more information about the King County Council budget deliberations and submitting testimony online, please visit www.kingcounty.gov/council.
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