The Snohomish Health District is facing a $4.4 million budget shortfall, and has proposed a number of program cuts, including totally eliminating the Child Care Health Program. For some strange reason, this has not been highlighted in media releases from the Health District.

This award-winning program, which was created 1994 after the tragic death of a child who contracted E-coli in a day-care facility, provides a variety of services that protect our children while they are in the day-care environment, and educates child-care providers on health and safety issues. It is the only Child Care Health Program in the state that combines a team of public health nurses, environmental health specialists, a nutritionist and behavioral specialist who offer technical health and safety education, and guidance for child-care providers.

If this program is eliminated, Snohomish County will be putting all our children at risk. It is important to keep in mind even children who are not in day-care may be exposed to those who are in schools, church and other settings. I urge everyone to contact your Snohomish County Council member, the Board of Health and Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon and request that they fully fund the Health District, or at the very least instruct the Health District to reconsider the total elimination of this program. Once it is gone, and the highly trained staff is laid off or reassigned, it will be difficult, and more expensive, to restart it.

Remember, citizens have a voice!

Daniel Cameron