Mission Statement
Devoted to assuring effective resources for the health of our communities.
Promote - Protect - Prevent - Respect - Partner
Healthy Washington County Community Coalition. We’d love to have you included in this group! Community partners are coming together to develop a five-year Washington County Community Health Plan, inclusive of identified needs and priorities and specific goals to be addressed by work groups. This is an ambitious undertaking but a necessary one. Collaborative efforts will reduce duplication, strengthen existing programs/services, or assist with the development of new strategies. You can attend regular meetings of the coalition or choose to be an integral part of a workgroup addressing an area of interest. Everyone is welcome! Next meeting dates are as follows:
- Tuesday, May 25 – 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. Washington Public Library
- Tuesday, June 8 – 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. Washington Public Library
- Tuesday, June 15 – 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. Washington Public Library
RSVP to Kim Vogel via email at kvogel@washph.com if you have interest in attending. Lunch is served at each meeting. We hope to see you there!
Community Health Needs Assessment & Health Improvement Plan. Public Health is also leading a community initiative, along with the healthy community coalition, to assess Washington County’s health needs. This process will entail a series of community meetings to look at wellness data. From the data, the group will be able to choose priorities for the community to focus on for the next five years. After priorities are chosen, implementation teams will be formed to implement community initiatives to address the health priorities chosen. This is an exciting time and all of us have a role to play in raising awareness about the multiple factors that affect our health and the health of our communities. In the end, we will be informing community members about the findings and most importantly, mobilizing our community so all residents can be healthy. If interested in this process please call Chrystal at Washington County Public Health or email at cwoller@washph.com
Home Health Services Provided by Public Health. Home care is an excellent cost-effective alternative to institutional care. Consumers overwhelmingly prefer home care delivered services because it:
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Keeps families together
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Supports independence
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Is significantly less expensive and more efficient than other forms of health care
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Prevents or postpones institutionalization
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Involves the individual and family in services that are delivered
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Represents the best American tradition
Home Care is both the oldest and newest form of health care. Traditionally given at home throughout the centuries, home care now is taking advantage of modern technologies, making virtually anything that can be done in a hospital available at home. Home care is the most cost effective and satisfying type of health service available. To learn more, call Washington County Public Health & Home Care.
Who Pays for Home Care?
Home care is paid for by a variety of sources. Benefits and requirements vary greatly, however. Major home care payment sources include:
Patient/Private Pay
Home care services can be personally paid. The scope of services and the charges are negotiated between the patient/family and the agency. For those whose resources do not cover home care, Washington County Public Health & Home Care offers a sliding-scale fee schedule so that a family need only pay what it can afford.
Private Health Insurance
Policy coverage varies. Generally private insurance coverage is limited to physician-directed medical services and equipment. The patient and family should check with their insurance agent to determine coverage specifics.
Medicare
The patient must be under a physician's plan of care, homebound, and in need of intermittent skilled nursing care or occupational/physical/speech therapy. Eligible clients may receive a range of services which include skilled nursing, home care aide, physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy, and medical social work.
Medicaid/Title 19
This federal/state administered medical assistance program provides services similar to Medicare for low-income people. No prior hospitalization or "skilled" level of service is required to qualify. Individuals do not need to be homebound.
Worker's Compensation
Any person needing home care services as a result of injury on the job is eligible. Workers' compensation representatives have information on eligibility.
Health Maintenance Organizations
HMOs and Comprehensive Medical Plans (CMP) with Medicare contracts must provide the full range of Medicare-covered services that are available in a geographic area, including home care services.
Champus (Tri-Care Insurance)
On a cost-shared basis this program covers skilled nursing care and other professional medical home care for dependents of active military personnel, retiree's and their dependents and survivors.