By Mary Alice Murphy

Most of the bi-monthly meeting of the Grant County Community Health Council was a discussion on how to continue the organization when its funding is likely to be depleted late this calendar year.

The members of the health council are in the midst of handing out assessments to community members throughout the county to be filled out to get a new data set of community needs. A minimum of 400 is required to get a reliable sample, but members are aiming much higher than that.

For those willing to complete the surveys online in English or Spanish, visit the link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FSZBWJH 

Members will attend and have people fill out the assessments at events this summer, including Jump into Summer and the Fourth of July festivities. The survey runs from now through August 1. It takes about 10 minutes to fill out an assessment.

GCCHC Director Cari Lemon gave her report. She said she had recently attended the health councils regional meeting in Las Cruces. "The group, along with the New Mexico Alliance of Health Councils, is working on a bill for funding a study of the accomplishments of statewide health councils, in hopes of getting more sustainable state funding through the Department of Health. It will be presented to the Health and Human Services Committee in October."

Lemon also reported that the website for GCCHC, gcchc.org, is being updated and, once live, will continue to host the Resource Directory, which will also be placed on the Share New Mexico website.

She had recently attended a workshop, where the facilitator was Renee Depres. Later, Lemon and Depres met and brainstormed ideas for the health council. "She suggested the health council hire a consultant and create a strategic plan, but we don't have the money for that," Lemon said.

Member Priscilla Lucero told Lemon she needs to be prepared for the potential demise of the local health council. "It should be positive for you, because of the relationships and partners you have worked with."

Lucero said St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church recently did a census of its members. "They were looking for resources for the parishioners, and I told them about the Resource Directory, which many were unaware of."

As the discussions revolved around the future of the health council, Lucero noted that the Grant County Community Foundation only awards funding to non-profit organizations.

Health Council Member Marilyn Alcorn suggested utilizing a current 50lc3, that of Silver Adult Care Services, of which she is a founder. The group is facing its own demise, because of lack of board members and specific projects. As part of the changeover, she said she would like to see senior issues remain a part of the health council's priorities.

It was moved and approved to pursue the change, with county approval, as the health council is under the fiscal agency of Grant County.

The last item discussed was the creation of a plan after the last assessments are tallied the first part of August. The data gathered on the assessments are used by non-profit organizations throughout the county to gain funding, especially from grants and foundation financial awards.

The next full Health Council meeting is tentatively scheduled for July 16, 2018.