Alternative Funding Opportunities for Local Public Health Departments: A Case Study from Barnstable County, Massachusetts

As stated in the U.S. Constitution, it is the responsibility of state governments not the federal government to promote the public's health by exercising their police powers. Several organizational models outline the public health responsibilities of the state. Although local public health agencies (LPHAs) have numerous public health services to provide, they are restricted or unable to provide some of these services because of limited state budgets.

According to a report by the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) in 2009 states have cut funding by almost $392 million for public health programs. Communities are unable to provide the community health programs for disease prevention and emergency health preparedness.

Public health infrastructure in Massachusetts, in particular, has been jeopardized by severe cuts to the state budget. From the Fiscal Year 2001 to the Fiscal Year 2004, there was a budget cut of 30%, approximately $158 million total. Massachusetts was nationally ranked 1st in their support for public health in 1990, but dropped to 4th in 2002 and down to 22nd in 2003.

Are there alternative funding opportunities that have not been exercised by local health departments? Local health departments could use the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) to work in their favor by collaborating with non-profit organizations and corporations who have common goals.

Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment (BCDHE) and Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) wanted me, a student intern, to design, implement and analyze a sun safety education to be disseminated throughout Cape Cod. BCDHE and the MRC had very limited budgets to put toward the health education initiative, which brought about the idea of partnering with corporations for additional funding. CSR played a significant role in the success of the program.