HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12181984 - IO.1 TO: aBOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Contra
FROM: Internal Operations Committee
1& Costa
DATE: December 17, 1984 County
SUBJECT: Blue Ribbon Committee Report on Public Health
Services in Contra Costa County
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1 . Direct the Health Services Director, through the Assistant Health Services Director--
Public Health, tn expand on the following principle outlined by the Blue Ribbon
Committee: "Effective Public Health work requires the involvement and cooperation
of the community", and return to the 1985 Internal Operations Committee with a report
and recommendations which outline how the accomplishments of the Public Health
Division can be made more visible to the community; how the community can be made
a more vital part of supporting Public Health programs , and how the Public Health
Division can have a more meaningful impact on the Public Health implications of
land use decisions made by the County and cities in such areas as proximity of
residential developments to industrial plants, the availability of adequate sewer
and water service to proposed residential developments and other related public
health issues.
2. Refer this issue to the 1985 Internal Operations Committee.
BACKGROUND:
On December 17, 1984, our Committee met with Wendel Brunner, M.D. , Assistant Health
Services Director--Public Health, and Sherrin Bennett, Executive Director, Center for
Human Development. Also present were several members of the 1984-85 Grand Jury.
Dr. Brunner summarized the process the Blue Ribbon Committee had used in prioritizing
Public Health programs in the County. Unfortunately, they did not take into account
the source of funds for such programs. Many of the programs they recommended be protected
entirely from reduction are substantially funded with County money and had to be reduced
over the past year.
Some of the programs the Blue Ribbon Committee considered of lower priority are totally
or nearly totally funded with State and Federal funds. Their reduction, therefore, has
little or no impact on the need to reduce County funds. In addition, the prevention
programs were considered by the Committee in relation to such traditional and basic
Public Health services as Public Health nursing, which may have been an unfair comparison.
Dr. Brunner noted that prevention programs continue to be a high priority with the
Public Health Division which currently commits $220,000 to such programs ($130,000 in
the contract with the Center for Human Development and $90,000 in Public Health staff) .
Ms. Bennett noted that the community prevention councils were disturbed with the relative
ranking given to their program and noted the great need for alcohol and drug prevention
programs among young people in this County.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY DMINISTRATOR _ RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
_APPROVE TOT HE
/� 2
SIGNATURE(S) Power Nancy C. Fanden
ACTION OF BOARD ON December 18, 1984 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
00 275
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT i HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AYES: NOES: AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
County Administrator OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
CC:
Planning Directpr; Pub':ic Works Dir. ;
ATTESTED ����-'�� ��
Health Svcs. Director; Phil Batchelor, Clerk of the Board of
Asst. HSD--Public Health Supervisors and County Administrator
Center for Human Cevelopment
Grant' Jury-• Ilcal th Committee
M382/7-83 BY DEPUTY
-2-
Our Committee is very concerned that the general community does not realize the
extent and value of the Public Health programs that are already in place,
particularly in areas such as communicable disease. We believe that our Public
Health Division is doing a good job, but that we need to educate the community
to this fact and solicit their input on areas to which we should give attention
in the future. We believe that Public Health needs a serious public relations
effort as well as substantial community involvement in order to build recognition
and appreciation for the services now being provided by Public Health.
We are particularly impressed with the principle set forth by the Blue Ribbon
Committee which we have quoted in the above recommendation. There is general
agreement on the need to help the community focus on a few specific issues, such
as alcohol and drug abuse.
Our Committee is also concerned with the apparent lack of impact that our Public
Health Division has on land use decisions. Residential development has too often
been allowed much too close to industrial plants without a clear understanding of
the Public Health implications of such decisions. We believe that the Public
Health Division should have a strong, independent voice in advising the Board of
these implications before decisions are made so that the Board is fully aware of
potential future problems.
For these reasons, we have made the recommendations contained in this report. We
want the community to have a greater awareness of the importance of Public Health
in their everyday lives, and we want Public Health to have a greater input on
decisions we make on land use issues.
00 2.76
1. Public Health Svcs Blue Ribbon Cte Report,
2. - Internal Operations Cte 1985 Rfrd to