The graph displays Carson City’s health outcome ranking compared to other counties in Nevada. Packham said he couldn’t explain the sudden jump in ranking from 2014-15.
For over five years, Carson City has steadily ranked among the least healthy of Nevada’s 17 counties. Health outcomes – measured by a combination of length and quality of life – have remained at 13th in the state since 2016.
The Carson City Board of Health convened Thursday morning to review the 2021 Nevada County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. John Packham, associate dean for the Office of Statewide Initiatives, presented on the topic following the Board of Supervisors’ regular meeting.
Between 2017 and 2019, life expectancy in Carson City was 75 years, 3.7 years below the state average, and 3.8 years below the national average. Packham added that the data set did not fully capture life expectancy changes during the pandemic. Preliminary figures show a decline in life expectancy.
The city is also above state and national averages in adult smoking, adult obesity, and uninsured adults under the age of 65 – health factors that may contribute to overall outcomes.
That’s not to say the news was entirely grim. Carson City does have other health factors in its favor, like better access to primary care physicians, dentists, mental health providers, and flu vaccinations compared to state averages. Though, Packham added that the quantity of health care available doesn’t necessarily equate to better access for uninsured adults.
“I would argue that public health and measures to improve health in Carson City are everyone’s responsibilities,” he said, emphasizing the role of city policy and community involvement.
Master of Public Health candidate Sydney Gamer drove his point home when she followed his presentation with her own, speaking to the importance of public health in policy making.
She used the William Street Complete Streets Program as an example. Though it’s an infrastructure project, the proposed design encourages walking, running, and biking, all of which improve public health.
Based on Gamer and Packham’s findings, the board approved a motion to adopt a “Health in all Policies” approach, which allows the board to examine future city policy through the lens of public health.
As for the community’s role in public health, Packham said, “If there’s a silver lining to the pandemic, I think it’s that the public has a much better understanding of what public health is.”
According to Health and Human Services’ Nov. 24 update, approximately 61.6 percent of Carson City’s population aged 5 years and older are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Nicki Aaker, Department of Health director, revealed that CCHHS is no longer using the National Guard to assist with events like vaccination and testing outreach.
Prior to convening as the Board of Health, the Board of Supervisors had the opportunity to approve an interlocal contract benefitting public health.
The fire department will receive supplementary Medicaid payments for Ground Emergency Medical Transportation services from 2023-26. The $6.8 million in funding will bridge the gap between actual costs of GEMT and what Medicaid covers.
After months of negotiations, the board also approved a Collective Bargaining Agreement between the city and the Carson City Employees Association through June 30, 2026. The agreement has an estimated $1.8 million fiscal impact over city projections, and includes changes to employee recognition, time off, grievances, holiday pay, annual leave, health insurance.
The supervisors also initiated purchasing a $1.2 million bulldozer for the city landfill and 26 new vehicles for city departments, not to exceed $2 million.
