County and City Health Departments: The Need for Sustainable Funding and the Potential Effect of Health Care Reform on their Operations

December 1, 2009 This brief was written by Jack Meyer, PhD., Principal, Washington, D.C. Office of Health Management Associates, and Lori Weiselberg, MPH, Senior Consultant, Chicago office of Health Management Associates. With the health care reform, health departments (LHDs) and state health departments (SHDs) will not diminish. Keeping people healthy is an important goal in itself. It also improves worker productivity, student learning and the national defense. The local and state health departments are unique among American institutions in protecting and improving the health of all residents of a community. Continuing waves of federal, state, and local budget cuts . . .