2018.01.29 CC Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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STATE FUNDING FOR THE LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH GRANT Position: Support increased funding for the Local Public Health Grant. Issue: Minnesota's local public health system serves to protect and promote the health of safety of our communities, but an over -reliance on local tax levies and a series of funding cuts have unduly stressed the system. The Local Public Health Act (MN Stat. 145A) mandates that local public health agencies fulfill six areas of responsibility: Assure an adequate local public health infrastructure (e.g., assessments and planning); Promote healthy communities and healthy behaviors (e.g., healthy aging, nutrition, healthy pregnancies, physical activity); Prevent the spread of infectious disease (e.g., tuberculosis, STDs/STIs); Protect against environmental health hazards (e.g., foodborne illness outbreaks, public health nuisances); Prepare for and respond to disasters and assist communities in recovery (e.g., flooding, tornadoes, terrorist threats); and Assure the quality and accessibility of health services. Mental health, opioid abuse, terrorist attacks and new infectious disease threats are just some of the priorities facing communities today that fall within local public health's mandated, core responsibilities. Insufficient funding from the state means agencies are ill-equipped to respond. The Local Public Health (LPH) Grant is one of the state's main investments in the local public health system and core responsibilities mandated by state statute. The grant was created to provide local control to meet state mandates and address emerging public health priorities, but it funds just 6% of expenses with 47% of the funding coming from local sources (i.e. property tax, fees for services) and the remaining funding from program specific categorical grants and federal funds. In 2017, House and Senate bills were introduced to increase the Local Public Health Grant by $37 million per year. This amounts to less than a $3 increase per Minnesotan and would increase local capacity to maintain core state -mandated services, address emerging public health issues, and relieve local tax levies. Washington County's LPH Grant Award from the Minnesota Department of Health has remained stagnant at its current amount for nearly 15 years. During that same time, the cost of goods and services (inflation) has increased 36%. What cost $100 in 2002, now would cost more than $136. Local grant funding was cut dramatically in 2003 and has not recovered since that time. Reminders of the importance of local public health and flexible funding are regularly found in news headlines, but our state's investment in the Local Public Health Grant hasn't kept up. In fact, the LPH Grant has declined as a percentage of total public health expenditures over time. Local Property Tax levy funding in the Washington County Department of Public Health and Environment is approximately $2.3 million. The Local Public Health Grant funding from MDH is approximately $543,000. We have a funding ratio of more than 4:1 local levy to local public health grant dollars. The Local Public Health Grant Agreement calls for a minimum 75% local match. Statewide, nearly half the funding for Community Health Boards (47%) comes from local funds. This includes local tax levies, which make up the single largest funding source for local public health (accounting for more than $107 million or 32% of all expenditures). 0