Health District Focuses on Local Services in Pershing and Beyond

At a time when rural health care systems across the country are under strain, the Central Nevada Health District (CNHD) is working to strengthen its presence and expand its impact in Pershing County and the broader region. During the May 21 meeting of the Pershing County Commission, interim CNHD Administrator Shannon Ernst, Social Service Director for Churchill County delivered a comprehensive update that emphasized the importance of local engagement, financial accountability, and a community-tailored approach to public health.

Since stepping into the role in late March, the interim administrator has been reviewing operations districtwide to assess what’s working, and what needs to change. “We launched this district to give rural Nevada more local oversight,” she said. “We’re not duplicating services. We’re here to fill the gaps.”

A key part of that mission, she explained, is building stronger relationships with each county in the district. That includes bringing regular reports before the commission and creating a sustainable model for how services are delivered and funded.

A workshop scheduled for May 29 will kick off a districtwide review of staffing levels, service priorities, and operational structure. The administrator plans to present three possible models for the future of CNHD, including one that separates clinical operations from administrative and community outreach work.

“Our goal is to make sure the services we’re delivering are needed, effective, and sustainable, not just for Pershing, but across all member counties,” she said.

While Pershing County has an updated clinic and a full-time clerical specialist in place, clinic usage has remained low. Only 29 residents have used clinic services since October, raising concerns about visibility and accessibility. The district provided 176 flu vaccines during a clinic last fall, which the administrator said was successful, but infrequent use of general services since then has prompted questions about community awareness and perceived need.

The district’s environmental health division is currently the busiest and most robust arm of operations. Inspectors monitor everything from restaurants and grocery stores to pools and temporary food vendors. In Pershing County, 74 active health permits are currently on file, but enforcement of unpaid permits has lagged. That’s about to change.

“We’re drafting new policies for late fees and reinstatement fees,” she said. “You can’t have a business license without a valid health permit, and we’re working with local governments to ensure those systems are coordinated.”

The health district will also review the costs associated with large-scale events like Burning Man, where the cost of inspections and oversight has significantly outpaced revenue from permit fees. A new districtwide fee schedule is expected to be proposed in July, followed by public hearings.

The presentation also highlighted public health preparedness planning, disease surveillance, and CNHD’s efforts to rebuild its certified community health worker model. In Pershing, no new STD cases have been reported, a rare statistic that stands out statewide. Surveillance also tracks influenza and RSV trends, and planning is underway to boost flu shot outreach in the fall.

Certified health workers, when in place, are intended to serve as resource liaisons, helping residents navigate everything from health appointments and prescriptions to transportation and behavioral health support. While Pershing has struggled to retain someone in that role, the district hopes to reposition certified clerical staff to fill the gap and rebuild trust in the service model.

“These workers don’t just hand out a list of resources,” the administrator emphasized. “They sit down with people, build a plan, follow up regularly, and ensure people aren’t falling through the cracks.”

In Churchill County, where the administrator also oversees senior services, a similar model has resulted in multi-agency care coordination for discharged hospital patients. That kind of support, she said, is especially critical for rural seniors navigating recovery without nearby family or transportation.

The meeting closed with renewed interest in continuing a local resource coordination effort that had been underway before the sudden departure of a previous staff member. That initiative included stakeholders from Frontier Community Coalition, Pershing General Hospital, and the county, working together to build a volunteer-supported network for home visits, prescription pickups, and wellness check-ins.

“It’s a conversation I would love to continue,” she said. “This is how we create a sustainable, locally grounded public health system, by showing up, working together, and responding to real needs.”

For residents who may not yet be familiar with CNHD or what it offers, the administrator’s visit was an invitation to be part of shaping rural Nevada’s public health future.