NORWICH – Chenango County Public Health Department officials requested to add a part-time clerical worker at $11,000 plus benefits to the county’s 2008 budget. Benefits would be necessary in order to hire a qualified candidate, they said.

The individual would become what’s called “a single point of entry” for those in need of long term public health, mental health, social services or elderly care. The account clerk/typist position is the result of the county opting to take on a state recommended program late last year that came with a $57,000 grant.

DSS Commissioner Bette Osborne said the position was identified by a newly created council whose members represent the four departments and local government, area clergy and representatives from the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. It was also suggested by Chenango Health Network who was contracted with to make assessments of all the long term care options available in the county.

The community “would see more efficiencies” as a result of the new position, Osborne said, and placing it within the Public Health Department was “the logical way to do it.”

“There are counties where public health, social services and aging agencies don’t talk to each other; don’t like each other. They’ve taken the grant money and created another 5 to 6 person unit in order to do this program,” she said. “We work very well together and we have a reputation for good long term health care in this county already. I’d like to see it continued.”

The same grant would be available to afford the position in 2008, but would fall under Medicaid after that. Osborne said indications are that last year’s state-imposed cap on Medicaid spending would continue, meaning no local share for the position.

“It looks like Governor Spitzer and the state will continue the Medicaid cap, although I don’t have that in writing,” she said.

Committee member James B. Bays, D-Smyrna, who is also a council member, said there have been service gaps between the four departments. One unit in DSS handles 21 different programs for New York State, Osborne said, from Adult Protective Services to referrals from New York State Electric and Gas.