The House passed the public health modernization act on Monday, ordering the Oregon Health Authority to outline a 10-year plan that will serve as a foundation to ensure public health needs are met in Oregon’s 36 counties.
House Bill 3100 was borne out of a task force, and the policy gives counties the maximum flexibility to determine that core public health needs are met for their residents. The proposed Oregon Health Authority budget includes $500,000 in the next two years.
The legislation provides a pathway for public health services to move away from a county-based model in those areas that have experienced a steep decline in funding tied to a loss of timber royalties from the Bureau of Land Management, particularly in southwestern Oregon.
“Counties, which are the official local health authorities and have responsibility for local public health, are running out of money,” explained Rep. Mitch Greenlick, D-Portland. “The local public health structure has been crumbling.”
Greenlick, the chief sponsor of HB 3100, said some counties, such as Multnomah, would likely continue to operate public health services themselves; other counties could choose to consolidate resources with neighboring counties, while others could shift certain tasks to the state or coordinated care organizations.
The new focus lays a principled framework for the public health services that each Oregonian should have -- including protection against communicable diseases, environmental health and chronic disease prevention programs. The important element is that all Oregon residents must receive the same public health protections, regardless of their zip code.
Some counties, such as Jefferson, Crook and Deschutes in central Oregon, have already begun collaborating on public health responsibilities, and could serve as a model for other counties. Greenlick had first proposed eight regional public health departments in 2013, which created a turf battle among counties who wanted to keep control of the services despite funding problems.
The Portland Democrat said the Ebola scare that preceded the 2014 election put the nation on edge and exposed fault lines in the state’s public health system. “We were clearly not prepared to deal with it,” he said, adding that Oregon has the potential for an 8.5 or 9 magnitude earthquake, which could cause grave public health concerns for much of the state, including cholera, saying the state must do more to be prepared for such a calamity.
The $500,000 in general fund dollars is seen as seed money for public health reforms, but Greenlick hopes future legislators will build on that down payment.
HB 3100 passed 54-5 and now heads to the Senate for consideration.
