SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 28
(By Senator Walker)
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to direct
the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human
Resources Accountability to make a study of the ability of
local health departments to deliver public health services to
the citizens of West Virginia.
Whereas, Critical changes have taken place in the health care
environment influenced by an aging population, health care
financing, health care delivery systems, different disease patterns
and increases in information technology; and
Whereas, State funding for local health departments has
remained constant while county moneys have decreased; and
Whereas, The implementation of managed care has reduced the
ability of local health departments to generate revenue from the
delivery of clinical services; and
Whereas, The Federal Balanced Budget Act of 1997 has severely
limited the capacity of certain local health departments to provide
home health services; and
Whereas, Prevention and control of communicable and infectious
disease, protection from environmental health risks, assessment and reporting of community health needs are basic-level public health
services that must be provided effectively and efficiently; and
Whereas, There is a need to develop the resources necessary to
ensure the maintenance of a public health system that will be a
stable force in the state's restructured health care delivery
system; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby
requested to direct the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health
and Human Resources Accountability to work in conjunction with the
Bureau of Public Health and its public health transition project,
to study public health in West Virginia in order to ensure the
maintenance of a public health system that will provide stability
to the state's restructured health care delivery system; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Legislative Oversight Commission on
Health and Human Resources Accountability, in conjunction with the
Bureau of Public Health, assess the organizational, financial and
service capacity of local health departments; define basic, minimum
public health services; develop performance-based standards for
local health departments; facilitate the establishment of
streamlined reporting between the Bureau of Public Health and local
health departments; and develop fair and equitable funding options for public health services; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance is hereby requested to direct the Legislative Oversight
Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability to report
to the regular session of the Legislature, 1999, on its findings,
conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts of any
legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this
interim study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary
legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Jjoint
Ccommittee on Ggovernment and Ffinance.