Does and don'ts of public health agency formation: The politics and funding of agencies

In the current poor economic times creating a new public health agency and sustaining existing agencies is becoming more and more difficult. The presentation will discuss the critical components necessary for a successful effort to form and sustain agencies as informed by the endeavor in the Lehigh Valley, to create the first joint county health department in Pennsylvania. The effect of the recession on these Counties will be part of the presentation and discussion. Also the consequences of the lack of the needed components will be emphasized. The two counties involved both have existing municipal health departments, but no county level agency. The involvement of the local hospital systems, community advocacy groups and elected officials will be discussed as well as the importance of timing. The experience of the several year journey to create the Lehigh Valley Health Department and sustain the municipal health departments will be used to illustrate the importance of these components and will provide a blueprint for an assessment of a county or municipality's ability to form and sustain a health department. Practical implications of this experience for the formation and sustaining of public health agencies in will be discussed.