Mason County public health adds mobile unit, plans field clinics and WIC food partnerships

Mason County Public Health staff told the Board of Health the department has acquired a used mobile unit to expand outreach services, with immediate plans for syringe-service clinical work, WIC outreach and mobile vaccination clinics in partnership with local providers. "We finally have our medical unit...we can take WIC to Hoodsport, we can take our crew out," said Dave (administration), describing uses that include chronic-disease screening (A1c checks), blood-pressure checks and vaccine clinics done in partnership with hospital nurses. Staff said the vehicle will also support the county's syndemic grant obligations and facilitate work in senior centers and more remote communities. Public-health staff also described a new partnership with Washington Correction Center that will route donated produce to WIC clients and local food banks; WIC staff said the donations will be distributed with recipes and kitchen equipment to encourage healthy use. The health director said the department is managing cash-flow challenges caused by delayed state contract payments and is seeking targeted grants to save critical positions; staff reported finding an additional $200,000 from a Public Health Infrastructure grant to preserve two roles for the next year and a half. The department warned that if the federal budget lapses it could affect WIC funding, and that hiring and retention issues — including market competition from nearby counties and travel-nurse inflation — limit service expansion. No board vote was required; staff asked the board to help share information and partnerships as the mobile unit and new community food efforts come online.