See Delco's Timeline For Establishing Health Department

DELAWARE COUNTY, PA — The lack of its own health department struck Delaware County hard when the coronavirus outbreak began.

Delaware County officials were forced to partner with officials in Chester County to get public health services to Delco residents amid the pandemic. Chester County's Health Department is now serving Delco's health needs.

Officials in the county said establishing its own health department would take anywhere form 18 to 24 months.

Now, Delaware County is laying out the timeline for establishing a health department.

The county council’s goal is to establish a county public health department and have it be operational by the end of 2021.

The Timeline for Action:

• 2020
  • July: Johns Hopkins Health Study completed.
  • July/August: Community Town Hall to discuss the results of the Johns Hopkins Study
  • August: Request for Proposals for Economic Impact/Feasibility study issued
  • December: Completion of Strategic Plan
• 2021
  • Winter/Spring: Hire a Director for the new Health Department
  • Winter/Spring: Create a Board of Health
  • Summer/Fall: Begin hiring required personnel
  • End of Year: Open Health Department

Delaware County Council unanimously voted on May 20 to hire Gorenflo Consulting Inc. to assist in creating a strategic plan to set up a county health department.

Days after the November 2019 election, the new Council Elects and incumbent Council Members created a dozen transition teams to gather information, identify key issues, and develop and recommend action plans regarding a wide range of issues and subjects relating to the governance and management of Delaware County. The development of a county health department was a priority of the new council and the work that has been done as part of the process has benefited the County’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted how vital it is for there to be coordinated, comprehensive public health programs and policies," Council Vicechair Dr. Monica Taylor said. "Delaware County has already benefited from this process during the COVID-19 pandemic and will undoubtedly need it as we address its long-term impact on our community."

According to a study performed by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Delaware County ranks 47th out of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties for health outcomes, 33rd in length of life and 59th in quality of life. Its neighbors in Chester County ranked third, Montgomery County ranked fourth, and Bucks County ranked sixth in health outcomes.

"The critical need for a county health department became abundantly clear when Chester County’s Health Department took over the public health needs of our residents pertaining to COVID-19," said Taylor. "Delaware County was not as healthy as other counties before the pandemic and our long-term care facilities didn’t have the advantage of additional guidance and support from a local health department, as other counties had. These are a few factors which may have resulted in Delaware County having a higher number of COVID-19 cases compared to our neighboring counties."

The County is currently undergoing a study being conducted by the Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health to evaluate the delivery of health and public health services in Delaware County and provide the County with recommendations on how to enhance and strengthen these services. Results of this study are expected to be released in July.

The process for establishing a county health department is heavily regulated by the state Department of Health, and includes requirements for an Economic Impact/ Feasibility Study and a Strategic Plan.