photo by: Lawrence-Douglas County Health Board

The Lawrence-Douglas County Health Board approved a new contract for Dr. Jennifer Schrimsher Monday evening, appointing her the county's new health officer.

Douglas County’s new health officer is set to take over the position later this week, after receiving approval from the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Board on Monday night.

Dr. Jennifer Schrimsher, who has served as the county’s deputy health officer for about a year, will officially take on the role after completing her oath of office later this week. She will replace outgoing health officer Dr. Thomas Marcellino, who cedes the position after 10 years.

“COVID has put our health officer in a new position, and a place that we never thought we would see,” health department Director Dan Partridge said. “…(Marcellino) has been our health officer for 10 years, and I’m sure for the first eight years of that, he never would’ve dreamed his last two years would be the two that he had.”

During his 10 years as health officer, Marcellino also simultaneously served as the county’s medical consultant and will continue in that role. The board approved new contracts for both Schrimsher and Marcellino, splitting the health officer and medical consultant duties accordingly.

Primarily, those medical consultant duties involve signing off on protocols and procedures for the health department’s clinic functions, Partridge said. Meanwhile, the health officer is responsible for implementing public health orders such as those Marcellino has overseen during the coronavirus pandemic.

Partridge confirmed while fielding questions from board members that Schrimsher is on board with the transition and prepared to start.

“She’s ready to get to work and put her hand to the plow,” Partridge said.

When announcing Marcellino had suggested he would resign from the position at last month’s board meeting, Partridge noted the deputy health officer position was originally created as a way to help support the health officer in what can be a “lonely job.” Partridge confirmed that Schrimsher and Marcellino should continue that relationship of teamwork, but he said he anticipates Schrimsher will also likely be able to lean on her team at LMH Health for that kind of support.

Partridge also spoke about the county’s current status regarding COVID-19 numbers.

He said per the health department’s latest data released Monday afternoon, the county is very close to moving out of the “red zone” and into the “yellow,” according to the department’s community transmission indicator. Red zone status means the county’s 14-day moving average case count is more than 50 and the number of active cases is more than 1,000. A shift down to the yellow zone would likely mean less stringent COVID mitigation protocols and a loosening of restrictions on contact with others.

“All things are pointing in good directions,” Partridge said.

Partridge asked the board for input about the community transmission indicator, wondering if there might be a way to “de-link” its status from causing a perception of mandating what the community must do and shift it instead to how individuals can best manage and reduce their personal risk.

The group didn’t come to a consensus about how exactly that tool might change, but did float some ideas for how the health department could best advise the community about best practices in the near future. That could include revisiting guidance the health department has previously shared with individual businesses to decide how to implement during past stages of the pandemic.

As the county’s numbers decline, Partridge said county health officials will soon discuss their next recommendation for the Douglas County Commission. The county’s public health order mandating masks be worn by anyone age 2 and older in public spaces was extended earlier this month and is set to expire March 2.

The board also discussed how that extension came to pass. County health officials originally recommended a new public health order mandating masks only in public spaces where 500 or more people are present, rather than an extension of the current order, but commissioners decided they weren’t comfortable with the change yet. Some commissioners said in the days that followed that their decision was based on Schrimsher expressing that it would be reasonable to keep the mandate in place.

Partridge said county health officials debriefed the day after that vote to talk about how they might avoid undermining any future recommendations they bring to the commission.