Evening star., 1935-09-16
BY John C. HENRY.

social security progrdWJ
BY JOHN C. HENRY.
"a logical step In dealing with the
risks and losses of sickness is to begin
by preventing sickness SO far as is pos
sible."
This simple truth was stated by the
Medical Advisory Board of the Presi-
dents Committee on Economic Sc
curity. 1t was seized upon by those
drafting the social security act, and
the result Is an extended program Of
public health work about double the
efforts now put forth in that direction.
The provisions are made In Title VI
of the act.
To carry out the program an appro-
priation of $8,000,000 is authorized
yearly, this sum to be distributed to
the States on a three-part basis-first
of population, second Of special health
problems and third Of financial needs.
In addition, there is authorized
yearly appropriation Of $4,000 900 for
investigation Of disease and SANTA
tion problems by the Public Health
Service, the agency which is desig-
mated to administer all parts of this
title.
Objectives Determined.
The following general objectives al
ready have been determined by
officials of the United States Public
Health Service and representatives Of
State organizations:
% Aid to State and Territorial
health departments for strengthen
ing the service divisions and in pro-
viding adequate facilities, especially
for the promotion and administrative
guidance Of full-time city, county and
district health service.
90 Aid for the development Of city,
county and district health depart
ments.
80 Training Of public health per-
sonnet.
In connection with the investigation
provisions Of the program, officials OF
the service have drawn up program
for increased work in studying such
problems as cancer, child hygiene.
dentistry, heart disease, leprosy, ma
laria, mental hygiene, milk standards,
nutrition, stream pollution and tuber-
culoSiS.
Expansion Here Planned.
To meet personnel needs the serv-
ice has made tentative plans for es-
tablishment of five regional offices
and a considerable expansion of the
staff in Washington. For the research
activities of the National Institute Of
Health, for instance, the service con-
templates an expanded personnel Of
1872, including professional, subpro-
fessional and clerical.
In support of this extensive program
the Committee on Economic Security
submits the following comment:
Even minimum public health IA
cilities and services do not now exist
in many large areas. OF 5000 coun-
ties, only 523 have full-time health
supervision and only 81 per cent of the
local health departments were rated
in 1888 as having developed per-
sonnel and service providing a salts
factory minimum.
Evidence Is accumulatins that the
health of large proportion of the
population is being affected unfavor-
ably by the depression. The rate Of
disabling sickness in 1888 among fam
lilies which had suffered the most Sc
we're decline in income during the
period of 1929 to 1882 was so per cent
higher than the rate in families whose
incomes were not reduced. For the first
time in many decades the death rate in
our large cities is higher this year than
1t was last year, despite the absence Of
any serious epidemics. In the face Of
these evidences of increased need,
local appropriations for public health
have been decreased on the average by
20 per cent since 1890. The average
per capita expenditures from tax
funds for public health in II cities in
1884 was So cents, as contrasted with
II cents in 1881"
Rehabilitation Expanded.
Provision for expansion Of one other
social service program that has been
in operation for about IS years is
made in the last section of Title v
of the act, the purpose of which is
to cooperate with the States and
Hawaii in extending and Strengthening
their programs of vocational rehabiI-
tation Of the physically disabled"
To make possible this ex.ransion
the act authorizes a yearly appro-
priation of $1,e38,oo0, Of which
amount $4,000 Is to be allotted each
year to Hawaii and the remainder
apportioned among the States on a
population basis. Administration Of
this program, as at present, is vested
in the office of education of the
Department of Interior.
In the fiscal year ending June 30,
1884, about 81 ,o0o,0 in Federal funds
was advanced for this purpose, with
this sum being more than matched
by State appropriations. New York
State, for instance, advanced $152,0l6
Of its own funds to match against
1884 from the Federal Government
The District of Columbia expended a
total Of $25,099. All but three States,
Kansas, Delaware and Vermont, par
ticipated in the program and each
Of the remaining IS already has made
appropriations for the present fiscal
year, which may be matched against
Federal grants.