MARCH 27, 2001

Agenda Item No. 18

Introduced by the Human Services and Administrative Services/Personnel Committees of the:

INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

RESOLUTION TO ADOPT A PLAN OF ORGANIZATION FOR THE INGHAM COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

RESOLUTION #01-91

WHEREAS, the Ingham County Health Department is a department of Ingham County government; and

WHEREAS, the Health Department Director is appointed by the Board of Commissioners with the concurrence of the Michigan Department of Community Health; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners requires the Health Department to operate in accordance with the administrative practices and policies of the Board as overseen by the County Controller; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners wishes to establish a clear plan of organization for the Health Department.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners adopts the attached Ingham County Health Department Plan of Organization, which shall be in effect until modified by action of the Board of Commissioners.

HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE: Yeas: Czarnecki, Dedden, Severino, Hertel, Celentino

Nays: None Absent: None Approved 3/19/01

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES/PERSONNEL: Yeas: Stid, Celentino, Minter, De Leon,

Swope Nays: None Absent: None Approved 3/20/01

PLAN OF ORGANIZATION

The Ingham County Health Department exists as a unit of Ingham County government. The Department is one of many departments/offices/units which operate under the direction of the Ingham County Board of Commissioners. There are thirteen Ingham County Commissioners who are elected for two year terms. The Board of Commissioners appoints the Health Officer to serve as the Director of the Health Department and establishes through its annual budget process the personnel and other resources available to the Health Department to carry out its statutory mission and any other duties assigned by the Board of Commissioners.

The Board of Commissioners has established a number of administrative policies/ procedures and rules for the operation of all county departments. These include the operation of the personnel functions and the financial management functions (budgeting, general ledger, purchasing, etc.). These functions are overseen by the County Controller, who is appointed by the Board of Commissioners. The Health Department is bound by these policies/procedures and rules and utilizes the resources of the Controller's Office to implement all such functions (that is, Human Resources Department, Financial Services Department, Purchasing and Properties Department, Budget Office and MIS Department, etc.).

Through its administrative processes, the Board of Commissioners negotiates agreements with several collective bargaining units and establishes a compensation plan for managers and confidential employees. Through these mechanisms, the job titles, classifications, wages and other terms of employment are established for all positions in the Health Department. The Board of Commissioners charges the Controller, and through him, the Human Resources Director with the responsibility of implementing the collective bargaining agreements and the managerial compensation plan. The Health Officer utilizes these documents to employ and direct the staff of the Health Department.

The Board of Commissioners appoints the Ingham County Board of Health. The Board of Health serves as an advisory body, assisting the Health Department staff and the Board of Commissioners.

Board of Commissioners/Board of Health/Administrative Staff - 2001

Mark Grebner, Chairperson

Chris Swope, Chairperson Pro Tem

Mike Severino, Vice-Chairperson Pro Tem

Beverly Bishop, Cleophus Boyd, Jr., Frank DeRose, Guillermo Lopez, Saturnino Rodriguez, George Rowan, Beth Spyke, Sue Tadgerson

Bruce Bragg, M.P.H., Director

Dean Sienko, M.D., M.S., Medical Director

Bruce Miller, M.P.H., Director of Bureau of Community Health Services

Robert Glandon, Ph.D., Director of Planning and Special Services

F. Robert Godbold, R.S., M.P.A., Director of Environmental Health

John Jacobs, C.P.A., Chief Financial Officer

Health Department Mandate

The Constitution of the State of Michigan includes the following declaration:

"The public health and general welfare of the people of the State are hereby declared to be matters of primary public concern. The Legislature shall pass suitable laws for the protection and promotion of public health."

In 1978, the Public Health Code was passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor. The "Code" establishes a State/Local system to carry out the responsibility to protect and promote public health.

The Code establishes the Michigan Department of Public Health with the responsibility to:

". . .continually and diligently endeavor to prevent disease, prolong life, and promote the public health through organized programs, including prevention and control of environmental health hazards; prevention and control of diseases; prevention and control of health problems of particularly vulnerable population groups; development of health care facilities and health services delivery systems; and regulation of health care facilities and health services delivery systems to the extent provided by law."

The Michigan Department of Public Health is charged in the Public Health Code to:

". . .promote an adequate and appropriate system of local health services throughout the state."

The Public Health Code requires every county to provide for a local health department. County Boards of Commissioners are required to organize county or district health departments.

The Public Health Code charges the local health departments with the same basic responsibilities as are given to the State:

"A local health department shall continually and diligently endeavor to prevent disease, prolong life and promote the public health through organized programs, including prevention and control of environmental health hazards, prevention and control of disease; prevention and control of health problems of particularly vulnerable population groups; development of health care facilities and health services delivery systems; and regulation of health care facilities and health care delivery systems to the extent provided by law."

The Ingham County Board of Commissioners has responded to this mandate by establishing the Ingham County Health Department as a Department of Ingham County Government. Each year, through the County budget process and through contracts established with the State, the Board of Commissioners determines which programs and services will be established and maintained to respond to the legal requirements to promote and protect the public health of the citizens of Ingham County.

The Health Department (as shown in the Table of Organization) is organized into three large service bureaus and the Disease Control Office. These direct service units are supported by the Director's Office, a Financial Services Unit and a small MIS unit.

The Bureau of Community Health Services operates under the direction of Bruce Miller, MPH. This Bureau is the largest of the Health Department units, with an annual budget of about $10 million and approximately 140 employees. The Bureau operates a network of community health centers serving low-income persons who are Medicaid eligible, uninsured or enrolled in the Ingham Health Plan, the Medical Access Plan or another health benefit program coordinated by the Department. The Bureau is the home of a public health nursing unit and a number of public health categorical programs, such as Family Planning, Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program, Hearing and Vision Screening, etc. The Bureau operates services to provide outreach to the low-income, at-risk community and to work with this community to find health insurance or health benefit programs to provide coverage. The Bureau also serves as staff to the Ingham Health Plan Board of Directors, under a contract.

The Bureau of Environmental Health directs the Department's programs to prevent and control environmental hazards. The Bureau is managed by Bob Godbold, MPA. The Bureau operates three program area: Planned Programs (which includes the food service sanitation program), Demand Program (including the water supply services and on-site sewage programs) and the Special Projects unit which includes the planning for solid waste management, environmental toxicology, lead and radon services.

The Bureau of Planning and Special Services is directed by Bob Glandon, Ph.D. This Bureau operates the Community Health Assessment and the Health Promotion units which provide support to all of the programs and services of the Department, and to the categorical programs of Office for Young Children, Food Bank and WIC. Much of the effort of this Bureau is directed at engaging the community in learning experiences about the status of health and the causes of disease and disability with an outcome of community planning to improve health status. This Bureau represents the Department's effort to extend beyond direct services and to engage the entire community in learning, strategy development and actions to improve the quality of life.

The Disease Control Office is managed by Judy Williams, BSN, MPH. Ms. Williams reports directly to Dean Sienko, MD, Medical Director. The Office includes a Communicable Disease Unit and the Immunization Program, which is composed of the Immunization Clinic and also efforts to coordinate community resources and provide outreach to assure high levels of immunization for vaccine preventable diseases.

The Financial Services Unit is managed by John Jacobs, CPA. This unit is responsible for operating the financial aspects of the Health Department within the guidance of the County policies/procedures and rules and consistent with contractual grant requirements. The Unit provides Department managers with financial reports necessary to efficiently operate the Department.