Summit County Board of Health approves internal policy allowing limited social-media partner services for disease investigations

The Summit County Board of Health voted unanimously to support a new internal operating standards and procedures document that defines how the Summit County Health Department may use social-media and digital partner services in communicable-disease investigations.

Derek, who presented the policy, told the board the tool is intended as a last resort when cases or contacts cannot be reached by traditional means and when only an online handle is available. He said the department developed the policy after attending specialized training and after a recent investigation where staff had only a social-media handle for a high-priority case. Derek emphasized the approach includes safeguards and that the department’s legal team reviewed and amended the policy to ensure compliance with state public-health authority.

"We wanted to bring this before the board to make sure that we had a fourth or fifth set of eyes on it to make sure that the board supported our efforts around using social media as a last resort," Phil said during the presentation.

Lanae, the department’s communicable-disease coordinator, described frontline practice: investigators often face cases where patients do not know full names or phone numbers and rely on app handles to identify contacts. Lanae said staff aim to be transparent when they contact people via digital platforms and that they will not impersonate private individuals.

Board members asked about legal authority, privacy and public reaction. Staff cited the department’s statutory authority (referred to in the presentation as '26A' and supporting rules) and planned internal training, IT safeguards and legal review. Derek said similar policies were of interest across the state and that the document is intended to be a living policy to be revised with experience; the board asked for periodic updates.

The board moved and seconded a motion of support and approved the operating standards and procedures unanimously. Members asked staff to provide follow-up reports on implementation at regular intervals.