PEDIATRICS Vol. 9 No. 1 January 1952, pp. 130-134
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TRENDS

LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ACCEPT INCREASING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MEDICAL CARE OF THE NEEDY

Editors: JOHN P. HUBBARD, M.D..

ONE of the pending medical bills which will undoubtedly receive active attention in the second session of the 82d Congress is the Local Health Units Bill (S.445). This bill, to which we have referred in this column (March 1951 ), proposes an increase in Federal aid to the States to help establish and maintain a Nation-wide network of full-time local health departments. The stimulating effect of a tie-in with the defense program was given to the measure when the President urged Congress to approve such legislation in order that communities in defense areas may be provided with the means of meeting the increased burdens of sanitation, protection of food and water supplies, services for preschool and school children and other services to prevent disease and promote health.

S.445 was passed by the Senate. The House Interstate Commerce Committee is now considering this and similar bills. Several points at issue are whether this measure should be limited to the defense emergency period ; how public health services should be defined; and the kind of minimum standards to be required.

While this legislation is currently under discussion, new light has been thrown upon many of the important questions involved. A highly significant report, recently published by the American Public Health Association, describes the changing concepts of the functions of local health departments and the extent to which they are now operating general medical care programs.

in the first place, this report calls attention to the trend to place responsibility for medical care of the indigent and the needy in state and local departments of health.