Vital Records changes at Health District

POMEROY– New rules regarding birth and death records are being implemented, said Martha Lanman, Garfield County Public Health District administrator, (PHD) at the September 28 meeting.

Vital records can only be requested by a family member effective January 1, 2021. There is also an increase in fees to $25 per copy associated with ordering those certificates.

The PHD will be amending its 2020 Budget at the next regular meeting in October, to include the additional funds received and extra expenses incurred due to COVID-19. The County’s support will also be reduced to half of the previously budgeted amount due to the extra funds. Lanman stated that even after covering the extra expenses to date, there will still be enough COVID-19 funding to finish out the 2020 Budget year for those related expenses. A preliminary budget for 2021 will also be discussed at the October meeting.

Lanman asked for board approval to increase the weekly hours for the PHD’s Program Coordinator, Jessica Nelson, who is currently working 20 hours per week. The request is for an additional 10 hours per week, at least during the school year. The need for the extra hours comes from a Snap Ed contract to increase some nutritional education programs, as well as a Quality Behavioral Health contract to teach a Life Skills class. Both of the contracts are expected to offset the expense of the increase in hours. The request was approved.

Updated COVID-19 statistics, as of Sept. 28, 2020, included 177 individuals tested, with 163 negative results, 13 positive results, and one still pending. All those tested positive have since recovered. However, a few people who had been in contact with positive individuals are still finishing their quarantine time. The PHD continues to work on COVID-19 funding opportunities for 2021, including assistance with immunizations. Lanman also stated that the Governor’s office should be issuing some guidelines regarding Halloween activities some time during the week.

The PHD board approved a Consolidated Contract Amendment 15, to extend several contracts, mostly into 2021, and totaling $184,679. The contracts include those for marijuana prevention and tobacco education, nursing services, and billboard advertising. Resolution 2020-32 was also approved to extend the Emergency Public Housing contract to Oct. 31, 2020, in the amount of $30,000.

The open position on the PHD’s board of directors has yet to be filled. It was advertised two weeks during September.

The next meeting of the Garfield County Public Health District will be Oct. 26, 2020, at 10 a.m., as part of the Garfield County Board of County Commissioners’ regular meeting.