The Kitsap Health District Board learned at its Sept. 2 board meeting that the nurse family partnership program may lose up to 25% of its funding next year.

The program, which relies on an evidence-based community health program, aims to improve the lives of first-time moms and their children, often impacted by social and economic inequality. Three primary goals of the program include: improving pregnancy outcomes, improving children’s health and development, as well as family economic self-sufficiency.

“Even with no further policy changes at the federal level, we do anticipate losing 25% of funding next year, and we are actively looking for sustainable funding options to continue this meaningful work,” said Karina Mazur, a KPHD public health nurse supervisor with the program.

The current program funding at risk is federal funding provided by the American Rescue Plan Act signed into law in 2021, Lynn Pittsinger, KPHD community health director, said.

Pittsinger said the district is anticipating losing funding June 30, 2026.

“This funding was originally signed into law as of March 2021 to support COVID-19 relief and economic recovery. We are awaiting information regarding the federally funded Maternal Child Health Block Grant,” she said.

The program started in 2012 and has completed 3,345 visits by nurses in the last five years, and completed 2,827 referrals. Some of the preliminary findings of the program include: a 48% reduction in child abuse and neglect, 56% reduction in ER visits due to accidents and poisonings, and 67% less behavioral and intellectual problems by age six, Mazur said.

The program matches specially trained nurses with at-risk moms and provides home visits to provide resources through the first 100 days of pregnancy and up until the child’s second birthday.

“Visits offer the opportunity for NFP nurses to provide comprehensive support and preventative care, assessing both moms and babies to detect early warning signs of health or developmental problems during the pregnancy, postpartum and infancy and early childhood periods,” Mazur said. “They also work closely with families to ensure they have confidence in their parenting skills and the resources and support they need to navigate the barriers they face in accessing health care and other resources.”

The board also received a presentation on a 2023 study, which looked at drug use in Kitsap County, and was conducted by the University of Washington’s Addictions, Drug and Alcohol Institute. The study surveyed 70 individuals who reported using drugs in the previous seven days. Respondents reported methamphetamine use at 88.6% and fentanyl at 52.9%.

Substance use affects individuals of all ages across Washington, with meth and fentanyl being two of the most commonly used drugs, Pittsinger said.

“The roots of drug administration are also important because, as you know, syringe services programs were initiated to try and mediate some of the health risks that were being caused by drug use, including HIV, hepatitis A, B, and C, “she said.

KPHD intends to develop a system of care for those using drugs, which includes promotion, such as interventions to help people improve emotional, physical, and mental well-being, Pittsinger said.

“We have programs in our schools right now, and working with young people in particular around these issues, it includes prevention, which are interventions, providing people with facts, skills and other knowledge intended to stop the development of negative health behaviors or the onset of substance use,” she said.

Regarding healthcare access and utilization, Pittsinger said people may fail to turn up for primary care appointments in part due to stigmatization, and may show up at an emergency room when their illness is greater.

Surveyed respondents reported 52.9% would see a provider and 55.7% would see a counselor, while 57.1% of respondents reported delaying medical care.

KPHD is hopeful that through the syringe service program, partnerships will increase testing and screening rates over time. Pittsinger said syringe service programs are beneficial touch points for connecting people to services. Kitsap County is served by two syringe service providers, Peninsula Community Health and People’s Harm Reduction Alliance (Ostrich Bay Exchange).

Regarding interest in treatments, Pittsinger said 45% of respondents reported interest in treatment for opioids and 47.6% of respondents for meth.

“Going from promotion to prevention to treatment to recovery requires so many components. Whether it’s housing, food, access to healthcare, lack of stigmatization and mostly providing compassionate care and understanding and treating individuals with self dignity, which is what does come out of the syringe services program,” she said, “It is sometimes the only place where people are treated with that dignity that eventually allows them to come to the realization that they do deserve health care.”

KPHD boardmember and Bainbridge Island Mayor Ashley Mathews said she would like to see additional treatment options for other consumption methods in addition to needles.

Kitsap County Commissioner Christine Rolfes shared her support for safe needle dispensing.

“I think another outcome that isn’t widely talked about is that if people are bringing in their needles, they’re not leaving them in the bushes and in the parks. So there’s a health and environmental impact to this as well,” she said