WASHINGTON COUNTY — The county public health office told the Health and Human Services committee on May 28 that it would apply for the federal Public Health Emergency Preparedness grant and asked the committee to move a request to finance that would let the office pay to keep a local printed outreach publication running through 2025.

The Public Health director (name not specified) said the preparedness grant is expected to be flat at $52,099 and that the county must submit a budget for the grant in June. “This is a grant we've had for quite a few years,” the director said during the meeting; the committee approved a motion to proceed.

Public health staff also described a plan to use roughly $2,000 from the public health budget to preserve the printed Community Connections paper after the publication’s printer told sponsors it would stop regular printing. Staff said New York Vermont Media (the contractor described in committee discussion) has found sponsors willing to underwrite a standalone printed edition through the end of 2025, but the department needs a budget amendment or a finance transfer so it can pay invoices and meet state reporting rules. The committee voted to move the request to finance for processing.

Other public health items discussed:

- Medicaid cost report: Staff asked to continue using McCarthy and Todlan to prepare the licensed home care service agency Medicaid cost report for the 2024 fiscal year. The firm’s fee was $5,500, consistent with prior years; the committee approved the procurement request.

- Fellowship injunction: Staff said a preliminary injunction will prevent the layoff of a fellow who is part of the New York State Public Health Corps placement, allowing the fellow to remain through the fellowship period unless further legal action changes that status.

- Opioid settlement funds and CPL 730 expenses: The department said it received seven proposals for opioid settlement funding; about $565,000 was available and proposals totaled $1.1 million. A community review panel will score proposals and return recommendations to the committee. Separately, the committee heard that CPL 730 expenses (court-related obligations) were budgeted at $150,000 for 2025 but had reached about $300,000 through April; staff will bring a finance request so the county can address the overrun.

Ending: The committee approved motions to apply for the preparedness grant, to move the Community Connections funding request to finance, to contract for the Medicaid cost report and to permit staff to reorder promotional items and provide modest food for an upcoming training. Public health staff will return with finance documentation and grant paperwork as required.