The Carroll County Board of Health has voted to terminate a longstanding partnership with St. Anthony Regional Hospital, which oversees the county’s public health department. The decision was only recently brought to the board of supervisors’ attention, and county officials discussed the move at length during their meeting yesterday (Monday) morning. Board of Health member, Becky Vonnahme, says the decision to not renew the contract with St. Anthony, which passed on a four to one vote at a recent board of health meeting, stems from a departmentwide assessment conducted earlier this year.
Vonnahme adds St. Anthony manages only one aspect of public health. The remaining two, environmental health and home care aides, are primarily overseen by county staff. District 2 Supervisor, Dean Schettler, who also sits on the Carroll County Board of Health, supported the move to terminate the existing contract. District 1 Supervisor, Scott Johnson, is worried this move only gives the county a few months to lay new groundwork for how the department serves the public. District 5 Supervisor, Rich Ruggles, says he is worried the move will lead to people losing access to Carroll County Public Health services.
Another complaint from the Board of Health is a perceived lack of transparency from St. Anthony concerning revenues and expenditures within the public health department, specifically regarding federal payments related to COVID-19 vaccine and supply distributions. St. Anthony President and CEO, Ed Smith, says the hospital and Carroll County residents have benefited from the partnership that has lasted for more than a quarter-century, and he sees no reason for a change.
Members of the Carroll County Board of Health are appointed to three-year terms by the board of supervisors, but supervisor oversight is limited to annual budget allocations. Its current members are Dr. Art Behrens, Dr. Michelle Heim, Julie Hodne, Dean Schettler, and Becky Vonnahme. District 4 Supervisor, Stephanie Hausman, and District 3 Supervisor, Gene Meiners, say the board and residents cannot thank St. Anthony Regional Hospital enough for their longstanding partnership with the county.
The current contract with St. Anthony Regional Hospital for public health services lasts through June 30. Beginning July 1, programming, staffing, budget management, and other duties will be under the direct control of the Carroll County Board of Health. Video of Monday’s meeting in its entirety can be found included below.
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