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Board of Health warns county public health relies heavily on grants; reports influenza and other surveillance
Summary
A Board of Health representative told commissioners that nearly all county public health operational capacity depends on grant funding (about $20,000 in annual taxpayer support), reported 43 influenza cases during Dec 29–Mar 12 and noted recent regional suspected fentanyl overdoses and measles cases in Gallatin County.
At the April 21 meeting a board of health presenter summarized the health department’s March report and stressed the county’s heavy reliance on grant funding for public health operations. The presenter said roughly $20,000 in county taxpayer money supports public health staff and that unused grants can jeopardize future funding allocations.
The presenter reviewed recent communicable disease monitoring (43 influenza cases reported Dec. 29–Mar. 12 in the reporting period) and said hospital laboratory reports normally route to the county by fax; the presenter asked that hospitals continue to send influenza notifications even when state reporting switches to electronic systems. The board also discussed suspected fentanyl overdoses elsewhere in the region and five measles cases reported in Gallatin County.
