Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health Planner topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Montgomery to fund two‑year public health planner; board urges residents to complete county survey
Summary
Montgomery health staff said grants were restructured to fund a two‑year public health planner to manage CHNA data, liaise with partners and support accreditation; staff urged more resident responses before the July 15 survey deadline.
Montgomery Township health staff told the Board of Health on July 10 that the department has restructured grants to create a two‑year, fully funded public health planner position to support data collection, coalition work and planning.
"We restructured both grants ... to create a 2 year fully funded public health planner position," the health department staff member said, adding the change follows an end to a local health outreach coordinator post and the availability of a $168,000 public health infrastructure grant that runs through March 2026.
The planner will assist with the countywide community health needs assessment (CHNA): collecting and analyzing survey data, coordinating with hospitals and coalition partners, supporting rabies prevention and acting as a liaison to emergency management agencies including Montgomery OEM, Somerset County OEM and the state OEM. Staff emphasized the difference between direct human/social services and public‑health functions.
"The deadline is July 15," the staff member said, urging board members to help boost participation. They said Montgomery’s responses are currently low and that the South Asian demographic is underrepresented in the county sample, which officials said could skew priorities.
Board members asked whether the CHNA prioritization applies to 2025 or the remainder of 2024; staff said the assessment follows a three‑year cycle and that planning is expected to begin in 2025 but that they would confirm the contract schedule.
Staff identified Health Resources in Action as the consulting firm compiling the CHNA and said the final report will be substantial. "It's a 300 page document," the staff member said and added the department will share it with the board when available.
Officials also described the department’s reaccreditation timetable: the application opens Jan. 1, 2025; the department has three months to complete the application and six months to provide supporting documentation, and staff recommended restarting a performance management/quality improvement subcommittee to prepare.
Next steps: staff will seek ZIP code–level CHNA data for Montgomery from the contractor, continue outreach to boost response rates through e‑bulletins, HOAs and flyers, and move to fill the planner position as funding and hiring conditions allow.
