News: Health Department Forced to Cut Back Services
CHATHAM COUNTY, GA – The Chatham County Health Department is facing budget cuts of almost $1 million resulting in a loss of vital community services. The decrease in revenue is a result of budget cuts at the state level.
The cuts will impact the Department’s current fiscal year which began in July and will continue through June, 2009. The total impact of the reductions totals 10.5 percent of the Health Department’s budget.
Reductions include but are not limited to:
• Elimination of the Adolescent Health and Youth Development Program (including elimination of a public health educator and teen peer counselors, and support funding for programs such as character education, nutrition and physical activity outreach, and sex education)
• Reduction in the Women, Infant, Children (WIC) program (a program that provides nutrition education and supplemental foods to low income families)
• Elimination of after hours clinics
• Termination of two employees and eight positions that will not be filled
• Elimination of salary increases for employees
• Furloughs (one day a month) for all clinical nurse practitioners
“These cutbacks are hitting us hard,” said Diane Weems, M.D. Chatham County Health Department Chief Medical Officer. “We provide necessary services for the citizens of Chatham County, many of whom have limited means to healthcare access.”
The Health Department’s scope of services is far reaching. In 2008, the Chatham County Health Department:
• Provided more than 74,000 clinical services to 40,043 unduplicated patients
• Operated the third largest HIV/AIDS comprehensive care center in the state
• Distributed more than 82,000 WIC vouchers
• Served approximately 8,500 women through the family planning program
• Provided 31,270 immunizations
• Inspected more than 1,400 restaurants
• Provided birth and death certificates to 18,270 clients
WWW Address: http://www.gachd.org/news/health_department_forced_to_cu.php