As others see it: Keep this SHIP afloat

Talk about it

This is one SHIP we should want to board.

Known by its nautical acronym, SHIP — the Statewide Health Improvement Program — has been working, as the name suggests, to improve the health of Minnesotans, particularly in the areas of curbing tobacco use and lowering obesity rates — two areas that definitely could stand some attention. A $2.7 million grant has brought funding to nine counties in southeast Minnesota, including right here in Steele County. And through that funding here, Steele County Public Health has been able to address several community projects, health care projects, school nutrition initiatives and work site initiatives — all aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of Steele Contains.

The problem that programs like this have is that they are dependent, in large part, on governmental financing. And with the state of Minnesota facing a $6.2 billion deficit, there is the distinct possibility that the Legislature, in looking for ways to trim the budget, will look to cut programs like SHIP — to trim its sails, so to speak, if not to dry-dock the program altogether.

Although we are all for fiscal responsibility by our state government — and goodness knows it could use some fiscal responsibility — at the same time, we would hope that lawmakers look long and hard before they take SHIP out of commission. As the adage goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” If the health initiatives that SHIP has begun will do exactly what it purports it will do — namely curb tobacco use and lower obesity rates in the state — then it is worth the investment. And in the end, it will save the state money.

Of course, that will take some forward thinking by our lawmakers. But we hope that they can see beyond the initial rough waters that the state faces and allow SHIP to continue to sail.

Owatonna People’s Press

Tags: opinion, editorials, minnesota, healthcare