RAPID CITY - After receiving a number of complaints about eliminating funds for community health services in next year's budget, the Pennington County Commission agreed Tuesday to compromise and restore some funding.

For the past three years, the county budgeted about $43,000 to support the state's community health-services program but zeroed out that line item in the budget for next year, citing financial constraints.

Commissioner Jim Kjerstad said the county had to cut $3 million from next year's budget, and tight budgets are likely to get even tighter in the future - meaning even more reductions in services for county residents.

"We flat just don't have the money to fund at that level anymore and it's going to get worse in the future. That's the unfortunate part," he said.

The county authorized $20,000 for community health services next year out of any money unspent in this year's total county budget. The commission also recommended that the funds be used only to keep nursing services available in Hill City and Wall and asked those communities to also use unspent 2007 funds to help support the program.

"This is a state program, and the county has helped for many years, but … that's become something we can't do," Commissioner Nancy Trautman said. "It's not a county program."

Trautman said the state should support the program more and expressed concern about misinformation circulating that the federal Women, Infants and Children program would end.

People in Hill City and Wall raised concerns that the lack of county support for the state program would mean health offices in those communities would be closed.

WIC program will continue

The cut in funding could mean fewer staff and reductions in the level of service, but state health officials stopped short of saying offices would close.

Darlene Bergeleen, program administrator in Pierre, said if the county did not contract with the Department of Health, the only service that would be guaranteed would be the WIC program, which provides nutritional education and supplemental food.

Bergeleen estimated the state's overall total budget to operate in Pennington County at approximately $1.4 million. She indicated the state must decide how to best use existing staff and county funding next year.

The state pays for the equivalent of three full-time employees under the WIC program. County funds will allow another two employees to provide nursing services, such as childhood immunizations, prenatal education, check-ups and screenings and flu shots.

Bergeleen said the county can negotiate any amount in its contract, but she wants commissioners to understand that the services provided beyond the WIC program are based on county funding.

"When you get those people in for WIC, they need lots and lots of other services, and it's those services that the contract provides," she said. "The time that it takes nurses to provide immunizations - that's what we're asking you to fund through the contract, dollars above the WIC program."

Linda Marchand, regional manager with the South Dakota Department of Health, said the program has grown over the past five years, but the county has not been asked to increase its budget.

"Yes, we have federal monies - that's most of our money - but it's been the county-state partnership that's been so important," she said.

WIC is the carrot that draws them in, Marchand said, but services such as developmental screenings and immunizations are a huge benefit. She said immunizations cost $7 at the community health office but can cost between $39 and $65 at a doctor's office.

"The people who get immunizations from our office average 15 immunizations the first year of life, … and the people we're talking about can't afford (the higher cost shots). That's why I think the county partnership is so critical to the community health nursing," she said.

Contact Scott Aust at 394-8415 or scott.aust@rapidcityjournal.com