COLUMBUS – After battling COVID-19, a proposal from Ohio lawmakers to potentially eliminate health departments that serve smaller cities felt like a gut punch to those still on the front lines of the pandemic.
At least, that s how Beth Bickford, executive director of the Association of Ohio Health Commissioners, sees it.
Language in Ohio s two-year budget would require cities with fewer than 50,000 residents to study whether their health department should merge with the county health department. The change could consolidate as many as 18 of the state s 113 health departments. We have significant concerns about an arbitrary number like population being the deciding factor, Bickford said. These conversations and decisions need to start locally, and the communities they represent need to be at the table.
COLUMBUS Area officials went to Columbus on Thursday to express their opposition to a proposal calling for a feasibility study on the merits of consolidating small town health departments around Ohio with county health departments.
They testified before the Ohio Senate Health Committee on the proposal, which is in the House version of the next biennial state budget. If enacted, it could possibly lead to the closure of the New Philadelphia City Health Department.
The group included New Philadelphia Mayor Joel Day; Health Commissioner Vickie Ionno;, Nicole Bache, director of nursing for the health department; Law Director Marvin Fete; and Council President Don Kemp.