Keep public health local: Regional task force
A Niagara Region task force is concerned provincial plans that could align the boundaries of public health departments with Local Health Integration Networks would undermine their ability to respond to local needs.
Niagara chief administrative officer Carmen D’Angelo told members of the public health and social services committee Tuesday that a task force met last week to review a Queen’s Park report published in July, that recommended replacing Ontario’s 36 public health units with 14 “regional public health entities” that would conform to the boundaries of Local Health Integration Networks.
Recommendations would make Niagara part of a public health entity that also includes Haldimand– Norfolk, Brant, Hamilton and Burlington.
The province is accepting comment on its recommendations until Oct. 31.
Niagara’s task force identified several concerns related to the province’s recommendations, including the impact on the health department’s effectiveness, the alignment between municipal jurisdictions and the LHIN boundaries, the health department’s relationships with community agencies, the impact on other regional departments and funding.
D’Angelo said health-related concerns vary between communities, and “the social determinants of health can be very localized.”
“If you expand it, you start losing your focus on those local needs,” he said.
Niagara’s health department also “has incredible relationships with local agencies that follow the same regional boundaries,” such as police, housing services and the United Way, he added.
“They’re able to respond to the local community,” he said. “It’s very responsive on local community needs.”
D’Angelo said Niagara’s ongoing efforts to mitigate the growing opioid crisis is an example of the responsiveness of the Region’s health department.
Niagara Falls Coun. Selina Volpatti, a member of the task force, said she agrees with the stance the Association of Municipalities of Ontario has taken on the issue, “that we should support local public health.”
St. Catharines Coun. Tim Rigby successfully deferred discussion on the recommendations until next Thursday’s regional council meeting, giving councillors time to review the information before putting forth a Niagara response. ABenner@postmedia.com twitter.com/abenner1