Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health Grants And Staffing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Coos County approves multiple public-health grants, contracts and new hires
Summary
The Coos County Board of Commissioners approved several intergovernmental agreements and contracts with the Oregon Health Authority, authorized transfers and posted new public-health positions, including funding for peer support, reproductive-health outreach and forensic services.
Coos County commissioners on a routine motion approved several agreements and budget moves Tuesday that add roughly $855,000 for peer support services, $225,000 for reproductive-health outreach, and other targeted funding to county public-health programs.
The actions included authorizing the county to sign IGA 047863 with the Oregon Health Authority for $855,000 over four years to fund peer counseling and peer specialists; approving IGA 185631 for $225,000 for reproductive-health outreach and education; an amendment to IGA 159,772 adding $67,500 for forensic staff who work with the county jail population; and a $10,750 contract with JChad Professional Training to provide drug-prevention talks in local high schools. Commissioners also approved a transfer of $130,000 from contingency into multiple public-health appropriation lines to cover unanticipated expenses and additional grant-funded activity.
The board authorized department head Mike Rowley to sign the IGAs and contracts. Rowley told the board the peer-support agreement covers peer counselors and specialists, and that the forensic funds support therapists, peer supports and case managers who serve the criminal-justice population. “Forensics works with the jail population…criminal population,” Rowley said when asked to clarify the forensic role.
Separately, commissioners approved posting a Family Connect home-visiting nurse position (listed under pay grade 600) after the county secured initial program funding and a memorandum of understanding with Bay Area Hospital; staff said program services are expected to begin in November or December but scheduling with schools and partners will start in August. The board also approved starting a new hire, Alberto Verduzco Ramirez, at step 3 of pay grade 447 for the Mental Health Specialist 2 position.
All motions were moved, seconded and passed by voice vote. No roll-call tallies or dissenting votes were recorded in the transcript.
The actions bundle grant-funded programming, workforce hiring and a modest vendor contract aimed at prevention. Commissioners and staff said the new funds will expand behavioral-health services and support juvenile and criminal-justice related mental-health work, while the Family Connect hire will take over services previously provided by Bay Area Hospital.
