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Health department was once exemplary

I am disheartened by what is being written about San Juan Basin Health Department. I was the nursing director under Lynn Westberg for more than 20 years, beginning in 1988. Lynn used to refer to us as Ying and Yang – she was the vision and I was the details.

In nursing, we served La Plata and Archuleta counties well by having comprehensive services for women, children, seniors and the disabled. Our clients were helped by a professional, creative and caring staff, whose abilities grew with their experience. The programs in public health are complex and constantly change, which is why Lynn and I were so grateful for our long-term staff. Together, we gained collective wisdom. We cared for our clients holistically meeting their needs at different stages of life.

Back then, the department was frugal – using our precious funds for programs and employees instead of administration. We passed all of our audits and had the support of all of our governing boards of health during our tenure. The five-person administrative team managed two offices, over 100 employees, along with grant writing, budget/contract management, billing, payroll and personnel. We managed communicable-disease outbreaks and staffed flu clinics by using everyone. We had experts to call when we needed them.

In 2010, when Lynn left, there was a $1.4 million reserve, and the department offered 70 distinct programs.

Where did those funds go? There are many fewer programs and employees, yet their budget is similar to when Lynn left. Turnover of any staff in public health is expensive, and the collective ability of that valued employee is lost, taking time to replace.

I would like to thank all of the employees I had the pleasure of working with beginning with Lynn. I wish I could list everyone, so a grateful public could thank them, too, but my space is limited. We did good work together; we were a good team. May the next version of the health department be as successful as we were.

Deb Banton

Hesperus



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