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County to sign shared public-health-officer agreement to ensure coverage during leaves
Summary
Clallam County will sign a multi-jurisdiction agreement to share public-health-officer services with neighboring counties and the state to ensure 24/7 coverage while its local public health officer is temporarily unavailable; board previously discussed similar mutual-aid arrangements for emergencies.
County staff briefed commissioners on a memorandum-of-understanding that allows Clallam County to share public-health-officer responsibilities with neighboring jurisdictions when the county's public health officer is unavailable.
The agreement, described in the work session as involving Clallam County, Jefferson County, Kitsap Public Health District and the State of Washington, lets other local health officers step in to make emergency determinations when Clallam's public health officer is indisposed for periods such as extended leave or travel. County staff noted health officers are expected to be on-call 24/7 and that mutual-aid arrangements keep coverage current during absences.
The county expects to sign the same-level agreement at the April 29 regular meeting. Staff said the county also checks insurance coverage for stepped-in officers and that the mutual-aid agreement is similar in purpose to firefighting and law-enforcement mutual-aid compacts.
Commissioners said they were pleased Kitsap County can provide backup and recalled past incidents where out-of-area coverage was critical for public-health responses.
No vote was recorded in the work session; staff will return the agreement for signature at the next regular meeting.
