A bill that would create a 'Public Health Improvement Fund' in Nevada is headed to the Nevada Senate Finance Committee after being introduced and unanimously passed by the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services last week.
If Senate Bill 118 (SB 118) passes, the fund would allocate local health authorities approximately $5 per capita to be utilized to address local priorities and needs in the community.
SB 118 could bring Nevada from being tied for lowest public health investment up to 44th or 45th in the nation, according to the Washoe County Health District.
During last week's meeting, Washoe County District Health Officer Kevin Dick, alongside leadership from Central Nevada Health District and Southern Nevada Health District, provided regional information about the benefits of the Public Health Improvement Fund, and the importance of flexible non-categorical funding that could be used to address community public health needs and priorities.
Currently, any money that Washoe County Health District receives from the State is categorical, meaning money can only be used for a specific purpose or service. The district says this makes it difficult to address community needs or health emergencies.
The bill also requires annual report on how the money was spent and what was achieved, ensuring accountability, and giving local health authorities flexibility to use the funds as determined by the District Boards of Health.
“We were pleased that yesterday the Committee clearly understood the need to provide this funding to support public health and acted decisively and unanimously to move the bill forward. We will continue to work to ensure that the legislature as a whole understands that need and makes that funding a reality by delivering this bill for the Governor’s signature.” said District Health Officer Kevin Dick.
“We know our workforce isn’t adequate to serve a community of our size and this funding would allow us to address that deficiency and enable us to better address health inequities that were so tragically exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The Senate Finance Committee will discuss funding allocation for the $30 million dollars over the biennium.
This Bill came as a bill draft request from the Interim Health and Humans Services Committee in 2022 and received support from the Washoe County District Board of Health, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada System of Higher Education, Carson City Health and Human Services, Nevada Association of Counties, Nevada Rural Hospital Partners, Renown Health, local citizens, and others.
Full text of SB 118 below.
