COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN NEEDS CREATES HEALTH CARE AND PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE SUBCOMMITTEE

May 26, 2022
County Board Supervisor Heidi Wegleitner, (608) 333-3676
County Board

At tonight’s Dane County Health and Human Needs (HHN) Committee meeting the committee created a subcommittee to examine challenges facing Dane County’s health care and public health workforce, including recruitment, retention, wellness, mental health, and community trauma.

The subcommittee will include up to 13 members that will include at least one County Board member who serves on the HHN committee, one County Board member who serves on the Personnel and Finance Committee, and one other County Board member. The subcommittee will also include members who represent medical providers, long-term care providers, and health care and public health workforce development.

"Our health care and public health workers have been through hell the past two years and I’m proud this Subcommittee will be discussing how we can help them be well. We all need this workforce to be well so that they can succeed at their job helping us be well," said County Board Supervisor Mike Bare (District 32) who serves on the Personnel and Finance Committee.

County Board Supervisor Kierstin Huelsemann (District 27), who serves on the HHN Committee said, "I hope that through this subcommittee we can come up with ways to better support health care workers in Dane County and the important work they do in our communities and for our community members".

The subcommittee is expected to have the first meeting by June 20, a public hearing by July 20, and recommendations to the HHN Committee by August 11, 2022.

"Nurses are integral to the health and well-being of our community. As a nurse, I know first-hand that we have been dealing with unprecedented levels of under-staffing, mental and emotional stress and trauma exacerbated by the pandemic. Through this collaboration, we　can join forces with our local health systems and other stakeholders　to find　resources needed to provide support for our nurses in Dane County. The future of our healthcare workforce is at stake," said County Board Supervisor Holly Hatcher (District 26).

The subcommittee appointments made by Supervisor Wegleitner (District 2), Chair of the Health and Human Needs Committee are attached to this release.