A “safety net” for thousands of Renton’s less-fortunate citizens is at risk because of a $90 million shortfall in King County’s 2009 budget.

That safety net is the Renton Public Health Center in the Renton Highlands, across Northeast Fourth Street from Renton Technical College.

In 2007 the health center served about 16,300 clients, including about 4,300 clients in the federal Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program that relies in part on the county’s general fund to provide local services.

The health center is one of the busiest in South King County, a region of the county that would get hit hard by budget cuts in Public Health because of the high demand for services.

The $90 million shortfall in the general fund could result in $12 million in cuts to programs offered by Public Health – Seattle and King County.

“All of the programs here are at risk,” said Anne Shinoda-Mettler, the area manager for the health centers in Renton and Kent.

The Public Health budget for 2008 is about $193 million, of which about $32 million comes from the county general fund. The general fund is particularly susceptible to downturns in the economy.

The county Board of Health has warned that program cuts could worsen in years to come if a stable funding source isn’t found for Public Health.

County Executive Ron Sims will submit his 2009 county budget proposal to the King County Council on Oct. 13.

Specific program cuts in Public Health will become clear as the council works to finalize the budget.

The WIC program is just one of the many services offered at the health center in Renton. Others are family support, immunizations (nearly 3,100 clients served in 2007), family planning and screening and counseling for sexually transmitted diseases.

Any cuts in Public Health programs could affect Renton residents such as Heidi Lawless, 33, a single mom with four children, including six-month-old Alex.

Lawless has been a client of the center since the birth of her third child, benefiting from the Family Support Services which in 2007 served about 33,000 clients countywide.

On a recent day, she brought Alex with her for a regular session with Suzanne Gray, a social worker. Lawless says she comes for “emotional” support. Alex also received a bed and a blanket.

“She has been there to listen to me,” said Lawless of Gray.

She’s grateful for her time with Gray and doesn’t know how she would have managed without Gray’s support.

Gray was touched.

“That’s the really rewarding part of this job,” she said.

The health center offers the First Steps program, which provides home visits by a public health nurse, dietician services, counseling and support during pregnancy and through the baby’s first year of life.

All aspects of a mom and child’s life are considered, from medical to emotional to social.

“This is one of the few prevention programs that we have left,” Gray said.

Services offered at the health center are geared to those clients without health insurance. Primary medical care isn’t offered at the center, although Public Health has a dental clinic in the Benson Hill area.

The health center helps clients with referrals to medical providers in the community.

Because of Renton’s diverse community, the center has interpreters, including those who speak Spanish, Russian and Vietnamese.

“We are a very busy clinic,” said Shinoda-Mettler, the area manager.

King County budget hearings near Renton

The King County Council will hold several public hearings starting at 7 p.m. on the 2009 county budget proposal.

The hearings closest to Renton are:

• Thursday, Oct. 16 – Maleng Regional Justice Center, Courtroom 3F, 401 4th Ave. N., Kent

• Tuesday, Oct. 28 – King County Council Chambers, 516 Third Ave., Room 1200, Seattle

• Monday, Nov. 10 – King County Council Chambers, 516 Third Ave., Room 1200, Seattle, starting at 1:30 p.m.