Social Services & Public Health Combining Departments
Meeker County Social Services and Meeker County Public Health are in the process of combining into a Health and Human Services Department. The goal is to be one department by January 1st, but the reception area for the two departments will combine as of September 1st.
Social Services Director Paul Buchovich says Public Health works on preventive measures to prevent issues from having to be dealt with by Social Services. He says the two departments have been working together in ways that help people flourish.
Buchovich says the two departments work together a lot so it just makes sense to combine them. He says the Family Services Center will be getting remodeled so it is a timely merger.
Public Health Director Diane Winter says there are areas where the two departments partner together and they consult with each other, and Paul – with a much larger staff – will be in charge of the combined department. She says other counties have done this and have had challenges, but it is working smoothly in Meeker County.
Winter says there will be signage at the Meeker County Family Services Center, but people will need to stop at the reception area of Social Services on the first floor and then they may get directed upstairs to Public Health until the merger is finalized. Social Services has about 65 employees right now, and Public Health has about a dozen employees.