After beating back a proposal to create a separate city health department, the Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday agreed to create a 15-member advisory commission to issue annual reports on the state of health care.
The idea for the commission, whose members will be appointed by the council, was contained in an initiative sponsored by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation after its proposal for a new city health department was struck down.
Michael Weinstein, director of the foundation, said he was pleased the measure went through unanimously.
“This is a great day for Los Angeles,” Weinstein said. “It’s an excellent opportunity to improve the health of the 4 million residents of Los Angeles. It was a case of democracy has prevailed.”
Weinstein is open to some changes on the plan, such as having commissioners serve staggered terms for more than one year. “Ultimately, it will study the feasibility of the city having its own health department,” he said. “While it is advisory, like many other commissions, the public will have a place to go to talk about public health issues in their community.”
He sees the commission as a way to bring accountability to the health care system. “If you’re a resident of Chatsworth and you see a public health problem, (you) will be able to go to (your) City Council member or the commission and raise it as something that merits study.”
Councilman Bernard Parks urged the city to adopt the commission proposal rather than face the prospect of $4 million in expenses by having the measure placed on Los Angeles County ballot in November.
Officials said the panel would meet with health officials, monitor relevant meetings and develop its annual report on L.A.’s public health needs.
Councilman Bob Blumenfield asked if the commission could be disbanded at any point, and officials with the City Attorney’s office said it would require a public vote to shut it downf.
Weinstein said the commission will bring accountability to public health issues.
AHF and Weinstein have had a long-running dispute with the county Health Department, particularly as it related to AIDS and the treatment of communicable diseases.
Weinstein has argued the city would be able to get better overall response to health care problems with its own agency, while L.A. officials, however, said creating a new agency would be duplicative and expensive, costing the city upwards of $260 million a year.
