Download 2013 Public Health Platform Final 1 13

Public Health Policy Platform
January 2013
Local Health Districts in Ohio have the primary responsibility to prevent illness, promote
wellness, and protect against the spread of disease in their communities. The Association
of Ohio Health Commissioners (AOHC) is committed to providing leadership and advocacy
to assist local health districts in fulfilling their responsibilities. AOHC has determined the
following areas to be of critical importance in securing public health and safety in all Ohio
communities.
Financing of Local
Public Health Operations
Local health districts are funded through a variety of
means, including fees-for-service and grants for specific
programs. There are, however, a number of critically
important public health responsibilities and mandates,
such as the control of communicable diseases, which are
poorly and inadequately funded by the state of Ohio.
These core public health functions benefit the entire state
and should be funded through the state general fund.
Ohio’s current direct support to local health districts
through the Ohio Department of Health’s operating budget
provides approximately $0.17 per capita in direct funding
to local health districts, while requiring local health
districts to spend at least $3.00 per capita of local funds
to qualify for this funding. Ohio ranks 43rd in state
support for public health. AOHC supports a greater
commitment by Ohio to fund local health districts for
these important protections that benefit all Ohioans.

Elimination of unfunded mandates – e.g., school
inspections – through identification of funding
resources and requiring all new mandatory services to
have funding sources identified before
implementation

Acquisition of state funding consistent with current
requirements to address core public health functions
and state-mandated programs implemented at the
local level - add PH futures ideas for funding plus
community benefit, hospital franchise fees,
corporation tax benefit. Don’t call it subsidy

Adequate state funding levels for the local
government fund

Permissive authority for local health districts to
assume fiscal authority

Ability for local health districts to contract for
mandated services and to participate in shared
services agreements and other efficiency measures
Public Health Preparedness and Security
Local health districts continue to strengthen capacity
to respond to bioterrorism, outbreaks of infectious
disease and other public health threats and
emergencies. All response is local. In collaboration
with other state and local systems, local public health
must be assured the resources to maintain critical
services such as preparedness planning and readiness
assessment; surveillance and epidemiologic response;
access to essential laboratory services; reliable
electronic information and communication; risk
communication and health information dissemination;
and ongoing education and training of the public health
workforce. Readiness initiatives should not diminish
core public health capacity.

Development increased and implementation of
strategies and technologies to prevent human illness
from chemical, biological, radiological agents, and
naturally occurring health threats

Sharing of information from and with health care
providers regarding threats to the public’s health in a
timely fashion

Collaboration between state and local agencies for
planning and funding allocation decisions

Stability of core preparedness funding to local health
districts must be assured over a 3-5 year planning
cycle
Current Priorities Indicated in Purple
Public Health Administration
Effective and efficient management of public health programs requires a clear delineation of legal authority,
accountability and liability of local boards of health. AOHC supports the provisions of the Affordable Care Act that
support local public health capacity, especially the Prevention and Wellness Fund.

Adequate human resources for public health practice through targeted workforce development and leadership
succession planning

Adequate state financial support for performance standards and public health accreditation for local health districts to
assure minimum public health capacity, with a commitment to continuous quality improvement

Strong and clear authority of local boards of health to adopt regulations to protect public health

Consistent educational qualifications for all health commissioners

Robust systems of health information technology, including health information exchange, electronic health records, and
electronic commerce authority and capacity
Access to Quality Health Care Services
AOHC supports access to quality universal health care
services, especially for vulnerable populations, such
as children, the disadvantaged and the aged.
Targeted Public Health Services
AOHC supports adequate funding for episodic direct
patient health services, catastrophic healthcare to
deal with long-term chronic health conditions and
disease prevention programs which target high risk
groups. AOHC supports adequate funding for
initiatives that will improve the health and well-being
of all Ohio residents.

Prioritization and strengthening of preventive health
services across the lifespan, with particular focus on
decreasing chronic disease in Ohio through
provisions in the Affordable Care Act

Oral health care, mental health and pharmaceutical
access
 Immunizations

Assessment, evaluation and development of
community health care delivery system based on
sound evidence-based principles
 Women Infant Children (WIC)
Expansion of and better collaboration with
community health centers with emphasis on
screening, prevention and wellness
 Mental Health and Behavioral Health Services
Services for the medically handicapped maintained
and strengthened
 Children and Family Health Services (CFHS)


Environmental Health
The promotion and protection of a healthy
environment is a key component of a successful
public health system. AOHC supports environmental
health professional practices that assure safe drinking
water
and
proper
waste
water
disposal,
environmentally sound solid waste management,
strong food safety programs, effective animal
vector/pest control and other appropriate programs
that assure a healthy and safe environment.

Assessment, evaluation and development of
environmental health programs based on sound
evidence based principles

Leadership for public health interests in land-use
planning

Efforts to minimize disproportionate exposures to
environmental risk by different cultural or
geographically disadvantaged communities

Collaboration with local solid waste districts and
other local entities to identify funding source for solid
waste enforcement activities

Standardization of and consistent oversight and
enforcement programs for food safety by one agency

EH program compliance and public access to data
monitored electronically through IT technology
supported by ODH

Authority of animal control officers broadened for all
pets and develop mechanism to recoup costs of
animal control and rabies abatement activities

Assurance of West Nile Virus and other vector borne
disease prevention, response and education activities

Implementation of comprehensive indoor air quality
management programs including lead risk
assessment and remediation, advocating for
adequate resources to assist low income property
owner

Financial assistance program – revolving fund - for
onsite home sewage system repairs
 Help Me Grow (HMG)
 TB and communicable disease
 Children with Medical Handicaps (BCMH)
 Long-term care (end of life issues, traumatic injuries,
etc)
 Chronic disease management (renal dialysis,
diabetes, genetic syndromes, etc.)
 Priority programs (obesity, cardiovascular, women’s
health, preventive health, etc.)
 Early childhood intervention programs aimed at
obesity prevention
 Catastrophic health care – reorganize multiple
independent funding sources into a comprehensive,
effective and efficient system
 Child Fatality Review
Tobacco, Alcohol and Drug Prevention
Programs
There is clear documented evidence that the use of
tobacco
and
drugs,
such
as
cocaine
and
methamphetamine, are harmful to the user’s health.
Improper use of alcohol also has adverse health
effects. AOHC supports all efforts to reduce the
incidence and consequences of drug and alcohol
abuse.

Effective enforcement efforts for Clean Indoor Air Act
that includes adequate funding for timely
investigations of complaints

Comprehensive tobacco use cessation and reduction
programs including reduced sales to minors

Tobacco tax increases targeted to support tobacco
use prevention and enforcement programs

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome screening

Expanded education regarding public health
implications of drug and alcohol use including its
detriment to childhood development

Environmental tracking and clean up of
methamphetamine labs with standards based on
sound scientific evidence

Comprehensive coordinated effort to stem
prescription drug abuse
Current Priorities Indicated in Purple