PUBLIC HEALTH
County public health jurisdictions have protected the health of the
residents of Washington State since long before statehood. The health
issues of 100 years ago were appropriately handled at the local level.
Today the complexity and mobility of disease and contamination require a
strong public health system, which is accountable, accessible, and
adequately funded... Public health is the front line of defense against
diseases transmitted to people from infected insects, animals, or
persons, and by unsafe food, water, air and soil. Public Health
responsibilities include, preventing disease, inspecting restaurants,
wells, and septic systems, screening, treating, and investigating
communicable diseases; teaching parenting skills and good nutrition for
healthier families and children; and equipping people with the
information and tools they need to make healthy choices.
The Public Health system has new demands imposed by emerging diseases
and threats such as SARS, Hepatitis B and C, E.coli, meth labs,
Bioterrorism, anthrax, monkey pox, and West Nile Virus while at the same
time maintaining ongoing response to the “old” diseases. For example,
there is resurgence in tuberculosis, measles, and whooping cough. Under
Homeland Security, public health is expected to increase its capacity to
respond effectively to threats of Bioterrorism through such things as
shifting from passive to active surveillance and developing rapid
response capability. Disease outbreaks and real or perceived
Bioterrorism events are local events first, but can rapidly spread
beyond jurisdictional boundaries.
Without public support of local public health activities, a society is
not only irresponsible, but at risk of imminent harm. Local government
has historically stepped up to the challenge of supporting local public
health. While the state has contributed some support, the Counties’
ability to support public health has been dangerously eroded.
WSAC Policy: Additional resources are needed at every level to
address public health issues, including the integration and coordination
of multi-county efforts. WSAC supports maximizing the flexibility of
existing sources of funding and enhancement of both efficiency and
effectiveness in service delivery. WSAC also supports efforts to reduce
the individual, family, community, economic, social and political
impacts of diseases whether from infections passed from person to
person, as with SARS or TB, or from environmental and lifestyle issues
such as Type 2 diabetes, childhood obesity, cancers, methamphetamine and
other illicit drug use, food poisoning, and water quality. Finally, WSAC
supports the authority of local boards of health to set countywide
public health policy, enact and enforce local public health regulations,
and prevent and control the spread of disease.
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