San Juan County Board of Health Calls for Restoration of Public Health Funding
SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. August 10, 2026 – At its June meeting, San Juan County Board of Health moved to send a letter to state legislators urging action to restore funding for Foundational Public Health Services (FPHS) in the next legislative session. This letter is a response to the funding cut that has already impacted local public health operations. Click here to read the full letter.
The Board’s action comes in response to the inadvertent reallocation of vapor tax revenues that were previously directed to the Foundational Public Health Services account. The resulting reduction in funding for the coming fiscal year has created significant challenges for local public health departments across the state, including San Juan County Health & Community Services.
“There are the real-life impacts to this cut,” said Justin Paulsen, Board of Health member and County Councilmember. “We lost staff. We lost services.”
As a direct consequence of the funding reduction, the department has been forced to cut three staff positions, reducing capacity to provide essential public health services that protect and improve community health and well-being.
The Board’s letter calls on state legislators to prioritize corrective action during the upcoming legislative session to restore funding that was inadvertently diverted from the FPHS account. Restoring these resources is essential to maintaining the public health programs and services that communities rely on every day.
Foundational Public Health Services provide the core capabilities and programs local health departments need to respond to public health threats, address emerging health challenges, and promote the well-being of communities. Continued underfunding risks the weakening of these essential services at a time when communities continue to face complex public health needs.
San Juan County Board of Health and Health & Community Services appreciates the partnership of state lawmakers and looks forward to working collaboratively to restore this critical funding and protect the long-term success of public health programs across the state.
Relevant URLs:
Media Contact:
Kyra Jahanfar, Communications Program Coordinator, kyrak@sanjuancountywa.gov, 360-370-7502
About San Juan County’s Department of Health & Community Services
San Juan County’s Department of Health & Community Services is responsible for community and environmental health, mental health and substance abuse programs, senior services, affordable housing projects, and more. The department has staff and offices on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan Islands. For more information about San Juan County’s Department of Health & Community Services, visit www.sanjuancountywa.gov/1777/Health-Community-Services.
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