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HomeMy WebLinkAbout751058.tiff • CHARTER RECOMMENDATIONS HEALTH COMMITTEE March 18, 1975 1. That an elective office of health coordinator be created, placing all county health related programs under one department. 2. That qualifications for the office, be that of any other county elective position. 3. That the office have as a chief assistant, a medical doctor, qualified in the field of health services to direct these services. This requirement to be met if the elected official meets these qualifications. 4. That Weld County General Hospital is to continue under the direction of its Board. The administrator hired by the Board must also be approved by the Health Coordinator and becomes the assistant of the coordinator in charge of Weld County General Hospital. 5. That formation of any new health departments or agencies by Weld County will be done only by approval of the County Council. 6. Duties of office: A. The direct supervision of the Environmental Health Services and the Ambulance Service. B. To cooperate and work jointly with the County Commissioner assigned to Health Services on all county health related activities. C. To eliminate duplication of services whenever they exist unless prohibited by state or federal laws. D. To make an annual report to the County Commissioners and the citizens of Weld County on the progress of programs to eliminate duplication in the health fields. E. To assist the Weld County Planning staff in large range health plans for Weld County. F. ' To evaluate and report on COG and other regional programs that will affect Weld County in the health fields. G. In cooperation with the County Commissioner assigned to health services, to plan, cooperate, and contract with other health agencies so that all programs benefit from combined use of facilities and staff. H. To supervise inspectors to the end; that inspections are made at the time scheduled and done in a courteous professional manner. I. To set aside a period of time each week to hear any complaints of improper or biased inspections made by inspectors under health department jurisdicticn. J. To work with all incorporated areas of the county in planning for and solving their health care problems. 75/Oil a • CHARTER RECOMMENDATIONS HEALTH COMMITTEE March 18, 1975 maj,or RI Pee0A' 1. That an elective office of health coordinator be created, placing all county health related programs under one department. 2. That qualifications for the office, be that of any other county elective position. 3. That the office have as a chief assistant, a medical doctor, qualified in the field of health services to direct these services. This requirement to be met if the elected official meets these qualifications. 4. That Weld County General Hospital is to continue under the direction of its Board. The administrator hired by the Board must also be approved by the Health Coordinator and becomes the assistant of the coordinator in charge of Weld County General Hospital. 5. That formation of any new health departments or agencies by Weld County will be done only by approval of the County Council. 6. Duties of office: A. The direct supervision of the Environmental Health Services and the Ambulance Service. B. To cooperate and work jointly with the County Commissioner assigned to Health Services on all county health related activities. C. To eliminate duplication of services whenever they exist unless prohibited by state or federal laws. D. To make an annual report to the County Commissioners and the citizens of Weld County on the progress of programs to eliminate duplication in the health fields. E. To assist the Weld County Planning staff in large range health plans for Weld County. F. • To evaluate and report on COG and other regional programs that will affect Weld County in the health fields. G. In cooperation with the County Commissioner assigned to health services, to plan, cooperate, and contract with other health agencies so that all programs benefit from combined use of facilities and staff. H. To supervise inspectors to the end; that inspections are made at the time scheduled and done in a courteous professional manner. I. To set aside a period of time each week to hear any complaints of improper or biased inspections made by inspectors under health department jurisdiction. J, To work with all incorporated areas of the county in planning for and solving their health care problems. HEALTH COMMITTEE CHARTER RECOMMENDATIONS March 18, 1975 Minority Report The Health Coordinator should not be an elective office. The minority recommends a County Commissioner be a liaison between all County affiliated health services and the people of Weld County. Coroner The office of Coroner be an appointed county position on the basis of qualifications of the applicants. This should be a two-year appointment, and be made by the County Commissioners. • Walter Bain Nancy Clark { • • HEALTH COMMITTEE CHARTER RECOMMENDATIONS (Addendum to Report Previously Filed) I. The Director of Health will be appointed by the County Commissioners with the approval of the Board of Health. II. The formation of any new health related departments or agencies in Weld County will be done only by the approval of the County Council. III. In addition to the powers and duties of the Health Department in Colorado statutes, the duties of the Health Director will include: A. Direct supervision of the Environmental Health Services. 1. To set aside a period of time each week to hear any complaints relating to inspections made by inspectors under health department jurisdiction. B. To cooperate and work jointly with the County Commissioner assigned to the Health Services on all county health related activities. C. To make recommendations to County Commissioners and to help eliminate & avoid duplication of services in county health related areas & include the work in this area in their annual reports. D. To evaluate and report on all regional health programs that affect Weld County. E. In cooperation with the County Commissioner assigned to health services, to plan, cooperate and contract with other county health agencies so that all programs benefit from combined use of facilities and staff. F. To work cooperatively with regional, state and federal authorities relating to public health programs in Weld County. IV. Board of Health A. The Board of County Commissioners shall appoint nine (9) persons to the Board of Health. 1. Five (5) members will constitute a quorum. B. Method and rules for appointment of Health Board. 1. The Board of County Commissioners shall determine six (6) geographic areas and appoint one (1) member from each of the geographic areas. Each appointed member shall live within his or her geographic area. * • -2- 2.. Three (3) members shall be appointed from the county at-large. 3. The geographic boundaries may be adjusted in accordance and on the same years the Commissioner districts are reevaluated. 4. The board members are to be broadly representative of the community served. "Broadly representative" shall mean "represen- tative of the socioeconomic, ethnic, and geographic character- istics of the population served." 5. The Board shall adopt by-laws which shall state the purposes of the Board and shall at least: a. Provide for the selection of its officers, and for appointment of standing and special committees necessary to effect the discharge of its responsibilities; b. Provide for the adoption of a schedule of meetings and attendance requirements; c. Require that minutes be kept of the Board deliberations and decisions. d. Provide for studying County Health programs and directing their implementation in cooperation with the Health Director and the Board of County Commissioners. HEALTH COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS (Other than for the Charter) I. Mental Health - It is the belief of the Health Committee that the County, philosophically has some responsibility to financially support Mental Health. A. Colorado law, 3-11-13 CRS, allows local government to purchase services from private corporations. The county could choose to reimburse the Mental Health Center for 257. of the unit cost of each individual served in those programs. B. The Health Committee suggests that the Mental Health Board remain as a governing board, but that the County Commissioners appoint board positions proportionate to county money received. C. All counseling and referral programs for youths lodged in the county jail be coordinated with the Weld Mental Health Center and not: placed under a new county department. D. Mental Health should be evaluated and given opportunity for budget consid- eration on the merits of its present staff and programs and the "ill feelings" of the past forgotten. There is no excuse for duplication of services on the basis that the Mental Health Center is not a governing agency of the county. II. Hospital A. All medical supplies in the county be purchased through Weld County General Hospital. (see page 2, for B and C.) B. Article 7, County Hospitals, Established, 66-7-3, Page 2, (b). Generally, t this allows the County Commissioners to permit the hospital to operate by having their own treasurer. This option should be considered, because of the advantage of making money from their own revenue. Another alternative would be to allow the County Treasurer to continue investing hospital funds, but instead of the revenue going into the County General Fund, it be returned to the hospital. Since the hospital receives county money only for capital construction, this would seem fair that they be allowed to make money with their own income. • C. The Health Committee would suggest that the hospital remain a separate organization in the areas of purchasing (except office supplies), personnel (except clerical help may have the same county pay scale) and continue with their own accounting system. III. Public Health A. The Health Committee suggests that the Health Board be expanded, if possible, or if it becomes possible at a later date. Representation from each district of the county might be considered, as well as from senior citizens and minority groups. However, no one group, profession or coalition should ever have over two representatives on the board. A physician on the board should also be considered. B. It is the hope of the Health Committee that better planning, study and preparation be made in the area of environment. The huge number of government regulations doesn' t seem to concern the administration in the same way it does the agricultural people in the county. C. The Lack of responsiveness to the people of the county by the Health Department has been given great consideration by the Health Committee. It is hoped that a Health Coordinator could rectify some of the problems. IV. Ambulance Service A. The ambulance service would come under the direction of Health Coordinator. B. Ambulance districts be subsidized at the same rate in the county, based on population of areas served. C. For an ambulance service to be effective, distances are important. To extend service throughout the county, placement of equipment should be in areas not being serviced effectively at this time. V. General Recommendations A. Another area of concern was found in the health care for the working poor. There seems to be plenty of federal money available for the indigent or migrants, but it appears necessary to have more county money available for the working class. • • 3_ B. The Health Committee feels there is justification for evaluation of services and availability of personnel to the people of the southern county area. An attempt needs to be made to coordinate county clinics to have them use the same facilities and open at the same time. Particularly, in the areas of mental health and migrant programs. Hello