Letter: Shared Health Officer 'Disastrous' for Englewood Residents

As the City of Englewood prepares to go through its budget process, it has been brought to my attention that the City is considering sharing the services of our Health Officer.  While the city may think its saving money, it actually will be creating a problem with the management and the delivery of services that the Health Department provides to our most vulnerable Englewood residents.  Shared services should not mean a reduction in the quality of public health care services to those who use it.  If the city goes to a shared services model, it would mean that we would no longer have full time oversight and management of health care programs in the City of Englewood.  The Health Department is one of city’s critical assets, delivering vital health care and essential services to people and residents who cannot afford to pay.  This idea of shared services of the Health Officer is not the solution to the City’s budget problems. 

At present, the Englewood City Manager has reached out to another town to enter into a public health shared services agreement, where their Health Officer would serve as the Health Officer for both their town and Englewood.  Such a plan would provide Englewood with a part-time Health Officer, which will be disastrous for our residents. 

NJSA 26:3-1 states that the Englewood Board of Health is an antonymous Board.  By following through with this proposed idea, the Mayor and City Manager are superseding  and undermining the authority and the autonomy of the Englewood Board of Health.

The services of the Englewood Health Department are predominately utilized by the residents of Wards 3 and 4, which is where the majority of the Black and Hispanic population of Englewood reside. No one in the city administration has asked or surveyed (polled) any of the end users that would be directly impacted by this shared services plan: our seniors, our low income residents, our uninsured and underinsured residents.

I urge you to contact your local elected officials and the City Manager.  Tell them our public health care delivery system, which has dedicated itself to our seniors and less fortunate, should not be touched. 

I am hoping that continued dialogue between the City of Englewood and the Englewood Board of Health brings a resolution that will be of benefit to all of us City residents, without sacrificing the quality of public health care to those who utilize it the most.

Sincerely,

Gordon M. Johnson

Gordon M. Johnson is an assemblyman representing the 37th District and an Englewood resident. 

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