The Platte County Health Department board of directors met last week to discuss how to move forward with COVID-19 testing as funds run low.
The Platte County Commission received approximately $12 million in federal CARES Act funds and swiftly established the “survive and thrive” grant program to assist local businesses. However, the Platte County Health Department has not received a dime of funding from the federal government’s rescue package.
Tensions have been high between the health department and the Platte County Commission, with commissioners critical of many of the actions of the health department – including its closures of non-essential businesses. Those businesses were the first to receive funding through the county’s grant program.
Platte County Health Department director Mary Jo Vernon told board members that she had recently checked with the county government to see if commissioners have established an application process by which other governmental entities could request funding. They have not created such a program.
Board members expressed their frustration at the meeting.
“With my tongue in my cheek, let me say that maybe we can get some of that $226,000 that went to Holiday Cruise Lines,” said board member Paula Willmarth, citing one of the more than $1 million in business grants already awarded by the commission. “Which is really making me angry. I’m going to put that aside and say whatever choice we make it should be a choice that allows us to have a quick turnaround on testing time.”
The University of Kansas Medical Center has provided free lab services for testing in the Kansas City area so far, but that program will end Saturday, Aug. 15. The board weighed its options for continued COVID-19 testing, including paid partnerships with KU. Some options on the table would ask those seeking testing to make a co-payment for testing, which was of concern to board members.
Due to the recent increase in testing demands, the health department shifted to testing of only symptomatic patients. To get back to the model of testing a broad section of the community – giving the department a better idea of the extent of community spread - the health department needs more than $680,000.
Board member Cathy Hill suggested the health department absorb the total cost of testing for 30 days – from Aug. 16 through Sept. 15 - and then reassess the options, as the situation continues to change rapidly. New funding options may become available by then, they said. Board members also expressed hope that the masking mandates would begin to flatten the curve of new infections.
The board unanimously approved this scenario.
Vernon and the board also discussed whether the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services was aware that the health department had not received CARES funding. Statewide, only 17 of the 114 county health departments in Missouri had received funding as of last week.
“The governor has communicated to county commissioners the importance that county commissioners give some of this funding to health departments who are the front line workers trying to keep this virus under control,” Vernon said.
Also at the meeting, Dr. John Rinehart spoke to the board, asking its members to consider recommending in-person education as much as is safe to allow. If in-person teaching overall isn’t possible, he requested flexibility in assisting special needs students and those without home internet access.
Park Hill board member Scott Monsees asked the board to “get students back face-to-face as soon as possible.” He said a quarter of students have opted for online learning, reducing overall capacity at the schools.