ORANGE COUNTY IN BANKRUPTCY : O.C. Health Budget Cut by $266,000 : Crisis: The loss of about 15 jobs as part of overall $3-million reduction will lead to longer waits at clinics and will pinch services. Advocates say funding is bare minimum.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved more than $266,000 in public health cuts that will slash about 15 positions, lead to longer waits at some clinics and affect services, including multilingual health education and family planning outreach.

The cuts are part of an overall $3-million reduction at the Health Care Agency already approved by the board, but state law requires that a hearing be held whenever proposed cuts would cause a reduction in health services.

Community health care advocates who addressed the board lamented the loss of positions but acknowledged they were necessary. They warned, however, that the county has pared down services so deeply no additional cuts can be sustained.

“We’re forced to regrettably accept the $3 million (in cuts), but a further reduction constitutes a disaster to the health of Orange County residents,” said Chauncey Alexander, head of the United Way’s Health Care Council, a coalition of 70 organizations. “We believe that the health care services of the county have been at the lowest ebb for many years and should be exempt from further cuts.”

The job cuts translate into positions in the areas of child health, chronic diseases, family planning outreach and cross-cultural and multilingual education, and make up about 9% of the $3 million that the agency will cut from its budget by the end of this fiscal year.

Ronald DiLuigi, the assistant director of the Health Care Agency, said the agency “tried to pick the programs that would least affect the health of the public.” But he conceded that the loss of positions will not go unnoticed.

“We cannot assure you that the impact of these cuts will not be felt,” he said. “Lines will be longer. People will be asked to come back the next day.”

For example, a quarter-time position for a special diseases physician will lead to longer waits at clinics, and patients who come late to appointments will have to come back the next day or get referred elsewhere, a report on the cuts said.

Most of the eliminated positions are for support staff who don’t provide direct services. But all cuts will likely be felt as the agency struggles to do the same job with fewer workers, agency officials and health care advocates said.

“If people aren’t given care in the public health clinics, their illnesses won’t be addressed and they’ll show up in our hospital emergency rooms for services,” said Edward J. Foley, Orange County vice president of the Hospital Council of Southern California.

Anna Garcia, a volunteer for a Stanton neighborhood center that uses multilingual health educators whose positions have been targeted, said she feared the move would have long-term consequences.

“Cutting at this level is going to have a long-term impact on the community,” she said. “Where can people go to get this information? It isn’t sufficient to provide pamphlets, when many of the people are not literate.”

The Board of Supervisors also voted to make general relief clients eligible for indigent medical services and then deduct $50 a month from their regular benefits. Supervisor Marian Bergeson moved approval of the reductions and asked that a report on its impact be completed in six months.

Social Services Agency Director Larry Leaman told the board that a similar system is in effect in Los Angeles County and that it will save Orange County about $1 million a year. About 3,500 to 4,000 people are on general relief at any one time, each receiving $299 a month, he said.

But several speakers countered that the county’s poorest cannot afford to take the hit.

“This reduction is a guarantee of nothing more than further homelessness and hopelessness,” said Lee Podolak, former president of the Homeless Issues Task Force.

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Cutting County Health

The more than $266,000 in public health cuts will eliminate about 15 positions and are expected to lead to longer waits at some county health clinics and a reduction in some services. County services at some community locations will also be affected. Some of the clinics and services in question:

COUNTY FACILITIES Clinic location: Services Buena Park, 7342 Orangethorpe Ave.: Child, maternal health Costa Mesa, 767 W. 19th St.: Child, maternal health San Juan Capistrano, 27512 Calle Arroyo: Child, maternal health; field nursing Santa Ana, 1725 W. 17th St.: Child, maternal health; field nursing; special diseases Westminster, 6462-B Industry Way: Child, maternal health ***

COMMUNITY LOCATIONS

These are private or city-owned facilities where the county provides services. All locations serve child health needs.

Anaheim

* 1170 N. Anaheim Blvd.

Fullerton

* First Lutheran Church, 215 N. Lemon St.

La Habra

* Scout Hut, 1100 Idaho St.

Placentia

* Whitten Community Center, 900 S. Melrose Ave.

Santa Ana

* Corbin Community Center, 2215 W. McFadden Ave.

* Wilshire Presbyterian Church, 940 W. Wilshire Ave.

Source: Orange County Health Care Agency