State plan to merge local health districts gets cool reception

A state proposal to consolidate the number of local health departments and health districts into large regional agencies appears to have few supporters in southeastern Connecticut and statewide.

This month, state Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Raul Pino met with local public health directors about a proposal that would merge the state’s 70 health departments, which include single-town departments and multi-town agencies, into as few as eight large districts.

Each town would pay a percentage of its annual operating budgets toward the regional health agency.

The proposal is in a “very preliminary stage,” state health department spokeswoman Maura Downes said in an emailed statement Tuesday. The proposal is likely to undergo several revisions before any legislation for the 2017 session is announced, she said. In its present form, the changes would take effect by 2020.

“We need to have several additional conversations with local health directors, legislators and other stakeholders,” she said.

State Rep. Kevin Ryan, D-Montville, a member of the legislature’s Public Health Committee, said he was not familiar with the consolidation plan but is concerned that large regional districts would not provide effective services.

Asked about the reason for the proposed changes, Downes said that the state health officials still are developing the plan.

“As we prepare for the 2017 legislative session, DPH is exploring many different options for legislative proposals that would improve the quality and continuity of health services in Connecticut in an efficient and cost-effective manner,” she said.

Under the current version of the plan, the health districts would be reorganized along the boundaries of the state’s eight counties, or along the boundaries of the regional councils of governments.

Under an alternate plan, the districts would follow regional or county boundaries, but the state’s five largest cities — Hartford, Bridgeport, Waterbury, New Haven and Stamford — would each maintain their own health departments.

Each municipality would pay 1.5 percent to 0.5 percent of its annual operating budget to the regional district.

Among critics of the plan is Essex First Selectman Norm Needleman, who is the Democratic candidate for the 33rd District state Senate seat. In a news release Tuesday, he called the plan a “secret state takeover.”

“Forced regionalization is terrible policy and causes more unnecessary over-regulation of towns without any proven cost savings,” he said.

Incumbent Republican state Sen. Art Linares of Westbrook did not return a message requesting comment.

Kevin Maloney, spokesman for the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, said representatives of member towns will discuss the proposal next week and may issue a formal position statement. Based on initial reviews, CCM has three “big concerns,” Maloney said — that the new districts would be too large, that the costs to towns would be excessive and that the municipalities would not have direct supervision over them.

Stephen Mansfield, director of health for the Ledge Light Health District, has alerted the district’s five member towns to the proposal and cost implications. The board of directors of the district, which provides health services for East Lyme, Groton, Ledyard, New London and Waterford, will discuss the plan at its October meeting, he said.

According to figures provided by Mansfield, all five towns would face substantially higher costs under the proposal.

If Groton, for example, paid 0.5 percent of its budget for health services, it would pay about $629,000 annually for health services. That compares to its current budget for services through Ledge Light of about $293,000 per year.

Dan Steward, Waterford first selectman, said Ledge Light towns are receiving good, economical services and that the proposal “doesn’t make sense.”

“We’re doing fine with our health program now,” he said. “I’m not seeing any benefit for the towns in this.”

Local towns with their own health departments also are opposed.

Bonnie Reemsnyder, Old Lyme first selectwoman, said local towns should retain the ability to decide how they want to organize their health services. Old Lyme residents on Tuesday voted to become the sixth community in the Ledge Light Health District, replacing the town’s local health department. A much larger regional district, she believes, would not provide adequate service.

“The small towns working together really know how to get things done,” she said.

Neighboring Lyme currently spends $27,000 per year for services of a part-time health director and sanitarian. First Selectman Ralph Eno said that under the proposal, costs would escalate more than fivefold and “Lyme would be paying for a lot of services it does not require.”

“It’s a regional property tax,” he said.

Stonington First Selectman Rob Simmons is equally critical of the proposal. The town runs its own effective and efficient health services that are best kept under local control, he said.

The board of directors of the Uncas Health District also has discussed the plan. Uncas provides health services for Norwich, Bozrah, Griswold, Lebanon, Lisbon, Montville, Salem, Sprague and Voluntown.

“What we’re hearing from our constituents is that we’re doing a good job,” said Patrick McCormack, director of health at Uncas.

William Warzecha of Norwich, chairman of the Uncas board, said he is “alarmed” by the proposal.

“We’re satisfied now,” he said. “I don’t see what we’d gain.”