Health Department Consolidation in Ohio
2013
This case study tells the story of why and how officials in Summit County, Ohio, combined their public health districts and the effects of this consolidation at the local level. The case and its short epilogue highlight the political, financial, and health factors as well as the administrative and political difficulties that leaders encountered in implementation, and prompts students of public administration and management to analyze the benefits and drawbacks of the regional consolidation of services.
The case is part of a series produced by the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Case Program, hosted by the HKS Strengthening Learning and Teaching Excellence (SLATE) initiative, the world’s largest producer and repository of case studies designed for teaching about how government works and how public policy is made. Each case in the series is designed to train public leaders, and introduces actual policy dilemmas along with data to equip students to learn how to apply the rigor of quantitative analysis in the real world.
This case may be purchased for a nominal fee; registered educators may obtain a free review copy. Online supplemental resources include short free documents and videos on how to teach with the case method, as well as downloadable related tip sheets and questions for class discussion.
Health Department Consolidation in Ohio
Source:
Tannenwald D. The Consolidation of the Health Departments in Summit County, Ohio. HKS Case No. 1987.0. Harvard Kennedy School Case Program 2013. http://case.hks.harvard.edu/the-consolidation-of-the-health-departments-in-summit-county-ohio.