“With so much need out there and with limited resources, we now have a plan for investing public money in such a way that it will have the most impact on human suffering in King County,” said Councilmember Julia Patterson, who chairs the King County Board of Health.
“This plan will provide a framework for prioritizing funding,” said Councilmember Kathy Lambert, vice chair of the Board of Health and chair of the Law, Justice and Human Services Committee. “This is a huge step toward building a more stable and efficient public health system that will serve the needs of all our citizens, including the most vulnerable in our community.”
“Taking a strategic look at our public health department programs has been an insightful and valuable process,” said Council vice chair Jane Hague. “We have to know why we do what we do and align our public health dollars according to our clearly identified priorities.”
“At a time when the federal government has been cutting healthcare funding, we in King County have had to pinch our pennies to make our local funding reach further,” said Councilmember and Board of Health member Larry Phillips. “The Public Health Operational Master Plan gives us a well-researched and well-thought-out framework for how to use our funds where they’ll have the greatest positive impact on citizens’ health and well being.”
Adoption of the Public Health Operational Master Plan (PHOMP) marks the end of a two-year process initiated by the County Council that included:
• research and analysis of how Public Health – Seattle & King County does business and spends its money;
• development of a policy framework based on the research of other county public health departments, best practices, and stakeholder interviews;
• articulation of key roles, guiding principles, organizational attributes, goals and financing; and
• recommendations for how Public Health should operate in the future in order to spend limited funds in the most efficient way possible and achieve its goals and priorities.
"The approval of this plan is an important milestone, and it marks the beginning of our critical work ahead," said Dr. David Fleming, Director and Health Officer for Public Health - Seattle & King County. "We've set new strategies and measurable goals to improve the health and quality of life of our community, and we will be reporting back to the community on our progress."
The PHOMP seeks to increase the healthy years lived by King County citizens and eliminate disparities in health. It identifies the critical roles of public health in what are known as the “three P’s:” protection from disease, disability and death, promotion of healthy behaviors through education and outreach, and provision of quality, affordable healthcare through partnerships and collaboration in the community. The Plan also makes recommendations for four-year and long-term goals for a more successful approach to each of those roles.
The Plan is a collaborative effort of the County Council, Executive, Public Health – Seattle & King County, and the Board of Health. It was overseen by a five-member steering committee that included Councilmember Patterson in her role as chair of the Board of Health Chair, and Councilmember Hague representing the County Council. The recommendations will be used both by the Public Health department in developing its annual budget proposal, and by the Board of Health in setting its priorities and work plan.
Approval of the PHOMP was recommended Sept. 20 at a joint meeting of the Board of Health and the Council’s Law, Justice and Human Services Committee.
The King County Council initiated the Public Health Operational Master Plan in the 2005 King County Budget, through provisos requiring the Executive, Council, Board of Health and Public Health to work together to develop a sustainable operational and financing model for the County’s provision of public health services to all 1.8 million citizens of King County, as well as the hundreds of thousands of workers and tourists who enter the County each day.
Read more about this legislation on the King County Council’s
LEGISEARCH
system at and type in “2007-0467”
Phone: (206) 296-1000 | Fax: (206) 296-0198 | TTY/TDD:
(206) 296-1024 | Toll Free: (800) 325-6165
Mailing Address: King County Courthouse, 516 Third Avenue, Room 1200,
Seattle, WA 98104-3272