House committee expands list of core public health services in priority legislation

Local health departments will have a longer list of core services they must provide to get increased funding after changes to legislation Tuesday.

SB 4's list of about two dozen core public health services previously included food and sanitary inspections, access to immunizations, tobacco cessation, and maternal and child health care, among others.

House Public Health Committee Chair Brad Barrett’s (R-Richmond) amendment to the bill added the prevention and reduction of chronic illnesses, including obesity, diabetes, cancer, and behavioral and mental health.

“Bottom line of this policy is that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” Barrett said.

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The amendment also says that local health departments can spend no more than 40 percent of their funding on food, sanitary, water and septic system inspections, pest control, and behavioral and mental health care services.

The bill now likely heads to the House Ways and Means Committee for further consideration.

Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

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