Sullivan County Public Health Nursing, under the Division of Health and Family Services headed by Commissioner Judith Maier, has two major missions.

The first mission is to provide comprehensive holistic healthcare services. The second is to provide health education.

Certified Home Health Agency Debbie Spaulding, Director of Patient Services, runs the County Certified Home Health Agency, or "CHHA." The goal of the agency is to provide restorative and rehabilitative care to county residents at home.

Therefore, if after an automobile accident a patient has a temporary injury that requires medical and/or therapeutic treatment for a limited time, this is the agency that would assess and coordinate the qualified healthcare providers.

2001 total costs were $2,812,314. Revenue (mostly state) was $2,618,086, while the county's share was $194,228.

Total visits for the year were 21,673. Of that, 12,499 were for skilled nursing. There are approximately 1,500 patients.

Long Term Home Healthcare Long Term Home healthcare provides nursing home-level care in your home. This service allows the patient to manage their chronic medical and therapeutic needs while remaining at home. Additionally, home healthcare can cost about 75 percent less than nursing home care.

The agency provided 23,085 visits, mostly for personal care.

Due to the regional designation of the county, the state reimburses Sullivan County at a higher rate than it spends for services.

2001 total costs were $970,325. Revenue was $1,161,191, and surplus was $190,866.

Surplus money is used to supplement CHHA.

Public Health Carol Ryan, Director of Public Health, oversees Epidemiology; Women, Infants and Children (WIC); and Children with Special Healthcare Needs.

Epidemiology Epidemiology tracks trends in healthcare issues, disseminates health-related information and condoms and runs two clinics.

The county is relatively healthy, minus two exceptions. One is that we need to immunize our children and seniors. Immunization clinics are held the third Tuesday of the month from 4-6 p.m. and the first Wednesday of the month from 5-7 p.m. at Catskill Regional Medical Center.

Secondly, New York State has one of the highest AIDS populations in the country, and Sullivan County has the highest AIDS population per capita, outside of New York City, in the state.

Total appropriations for this department are $77,997, with revenues of $473,159 and a cost to the general fund of $302,838. The program is mandated.

Early Intervention Program By far the most expensive health program in the county, which is mandated but not fully funded, is the Early Intervention Program (EIP).

This program's purpose is to identify and treat developmental delays and disabilities for preschool children.

In 2001, the total appropriation for EIP was $4,184,293. Revenues were $2,420,222. The county share for this program alone was $1,764,071.

Women Infants and Children WIC, which is a nutrition program for women, infants and children in need, costs $377,249 with revenues of $367,748, costing $9,501 from the general fund.

Overall, Public Health Nursing's total appropriations for 2002 are $11,124,575. Total revenues are $8,508,404. The county share of public health-related expense is $2,616,171.

Public Health Nursing employs 110 staff. Total payroll is $2,488,267.

Contracting and professional services cost about $7,000,000 and are almost entirely reimbursed by the state.