Jun 23, 2013 3 min read

The future doesn’t look good for the state health center in Greene County.

It was reported last week that the state Department of Health is continuing with plans to close state health centers in 26 counties, including the center in Greene County.

As part of its plan to modernize the system, the department already has closed centers in Carbon, Fulton and Potter counties, consolidating their operations with those of neighboring counties. It expects to close centers in Beaver, Somerset and Mifflin counties by the end of June.

But Aimee Tysarczyk, department press secretary, could not say when the Greene County center will close. The department is still talking with employees, unions, lease holders and others regarding the remaining centers slated for consolidation.

But considering some number supplied by the state Department of Health, we cannot see the county office staying open.

The Greene County center on Oakview Drive in Franklin Township is staffed by one nurse and a secretary. It provides immunizations to people who are uninsured or underinsured, conducts HIV and STD testing and holds flu and tuberculosis clinics. The center is to be consolidated with the Washington County center.

Tysarczyk said the Greene County center serves about one walk-in client a week, though it sees more than 100 clients off site each week, which illustrates the need to have nurses out in the community. If those figures are accurate, and we have no reason to doubt them, then the decision to close the office seems like an easy one.

The department has said its plan will allow health center nurses to spend more time providing services in the community rather than making clients come to them at the centers.

Yet, when implementing a change we feel is for the better, there always seems to be an obstacle thrown in the front of progress.

This time it comes in the form of a lawsuit filed by the Service Employees International Union. Now, the SEIU claims the consolidation plan cannot go forward because such a move would require legislative approval.

We do not know if that is correct, but the suit has been filed in Commonwealth Court, so we will wait and see.

Somewhat disturbing in relation to that suit, as we see it, is that two local legislators, state Sen. Tim Solobay, D-Canonsburg, and state Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Waynesburg, both joined the suit, citing the need for services provided by the center in Greene County.

We can’t quite understand why they would advocate for keeping this office open, but political posturing is not a new concept.

It should also be noted that while the case remains before the appellate court, a judge earlier denied the union’s request for an injunction that would have halted implementation of the plan while litigation proceeds.

The denial of the injunction allowed the department to move forward with its plan, Tysarczyk said. “There are compelling operational and fiscal reasons for taking this action,” she said. “Delay would only further compromise our mission and cause the department to incur unnecessary expenses.”

We agree, and on a final note, the state Health Department maintains its plan will increase access to public health services by mobilizing personnel into the communities. Moreover, the department will have its nurses at regularly scheduled events in each county, or nurses will go to people’s homes, as needed, to provide health services. Residents will be able to call the center, and someone will respond and arrange for services.

It’s kind of hard to argue against that rationale.