6-14-21 BOC Budget Work Session - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Health Department - 7:00 p.m. Health Department Director Heath Cain introduced Carol Thompson who manages the finances for the Health Department. One of the things that came to light was the inability to provide all the needed services based on seven nurses providing vaccinations. The current budget proposal includes a full- time position for a Practical Nurse II and will be completely paid for the next year out of escrow (what the department is paid back for the services they provide) and COVID funding. The Health Department received about 600- 700 patients a month prior to the pandemic and now post pandemic they are seeing 200- 300. The Health Department has also requested a Licensed Practical Nurse. The LPN can do the interview process and weigh-in to get the intake process more streamlined. The clinic schedule needed some modifications. The goal is to have nurses that can focus on their own programs and have more time to devote when other things pop up. The Department is seeing a rise in STDs which is a mandated service that has to be provided within 72 hours of making the appointment. The Department would like to have Saturday morning openings at the animal shelter if the animal shelter request is approved. They are also requesting a vehicle to replace a 1998 Buick LeSabre with a Ford Fusion. Small items include laptops for Environmental Health. Commissioner Reives requested a review of the animal adoption process due to a personal experience. When Medicaid transformation takes over, they are looking at expanding out to bill private insurance to compensate for funds that will no longer be received through Medicaid. The mental and psychological effect the pandemic has had on people has created a lot of stress for many so the Health Department will likely need to enhance the mental health efforts to help the public move past these issues. $150,000 is included in the budget for the school nurse funding initiative. Nurses are funded based on how they contribute to each program and many of them are cross trained. There is ongoing discussion with the Sandhills Center about a peer support specialist position that will hopefully start soon. Health Department Budget Summary 3