263615 Creation of a 501 c 3 Organization to Support the Mission of a Local Health Department

Monday, October 29, 2012

Maria Carney, MD , Nassau Center for Health Initiatives, Garden City, NY
Lawrence Eisenstein, MD , Commissioner, Nassau County Department of Health, Uniondale, NY
Eileen Scanlon, RN, MSN , Department of Nursing, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY
Gerard Giuliano, JD , Department of Environmental Health, Nassau County Department of Health, Uniondale, NY
Tavora Buchman, PhD , Divison of Chronic Disease, Research and Prevention, Nassau County Department of Health, Uniondale, NY
Theresa Thomann , Department of Public Health Emergency Preparedness, Nassau County Department of Health, Uniondale, NY
Nassau County, like many other counties in the nation, is facing significant public health financial shortfalls. However, Nassau County is currently under control of a State financial oversight committee called, the Nassau Interim Finance Authority. County employees have been offered retirement incentives annually from 2008 -2010 and, in 2011, laid-off 10 percent of the health department staff in order to lower its annual budgets. The local public health agency in Nassau County is undergoing financial strain, increased workloads, and elimination of non-mandated public health work. Innovative strategies are critically needed to support the mission of public health.

Nassau County Department of Health (NCDOH) and regional leaders created the Nassau Center for Health Initiatives (NCHI), a 501 ( c ) 3 not-for-profit organization, to allow for flexibility in funding and support of public health. Despite the severe economic climate of the County and need to seek new revenue streams, many challenges and barriers were faced and addressed while creating this entity. With support of NCHI board members and key NCDOH staff, the formation of NCHI prevailed. NCHI allows for partnerships with public and private agencies, healthcare providers, business as well as community and faith-based organizations with an aim to reduce the burden of chronic diseases through community prevention programs, improve bioterrorism and emergency response capabilities for the safety of our residents, pilot innovative preventive health strategies, reduce health disparities, promote and educate the population about healthy choices, perform research, and allow for grant and philanthropic support of these activities.

Learning Areas:
Administration, management, leadership
Advocacy for health and health education
Other professions or practice related to public health
Public health administration or related administration
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines

Learning Objectives:
Explain existing barriers to innovative public health initiatives Explain the need for innovative public health revenue streams Discuss the benefits of public private partnerships for public health

Keywords: Public/Private Partnerships, Challenges and Opportunities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I was the Commissioner of Health for Nassau County when the Nassau Center for Health Initiatives was formed. I fully supported the development of this entity and over 3 years coordinated the partners in order to achieve this goal. The creation of a non for profit organization to suport the public health mission is an innovative way to promote health during challenging fiscal times. I continue to be a board member of this entity.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.