Tribal Radio | By Sarah Flower
San Juan Basin Public Health Department (SJBPH) will be closing its doors on December 31, 2023, after nearly 75 years of service. The current interim director, Tiffany Switzer, will be leaving the organization next week, just three months before the closure.
It's important to remember that the plague is a rare but serious disease, and it's important to take precautions to avoid exposure.
Switzer has worked at SJBPH for nine years, starting in an entry-level position and rising to director. She was recently part of the executive team that led Archuleta and La Plata counties through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Switzer says she will miss the staff and camaraderie the most. She will be taking on a new role working with the state of Colorado.
Upon Switzer's departure, SJBPH will have 52.8 full-time equivalent employees, down from about 75 a year ago. The number of staff members has fluctuated greatly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both Archuleta and La Plata counties will be leading their own public health departments at the start of the new year. La Plata county public health department's current organization chart published in August shows 42.5 full-time employees for the new department.
For Switzer, this move is bittersweet.
(Photo: San Juan Basin Public Health Facebook)
Press play to listen again
