Delaware County begins process to consider new state public health money

The new state budget includes much new money for local health departments in Indiana, as long as they agree to provide about two dozen core services to their areas.  Counties have to “opt in” to get the money.  As IPR’s Stephanie Wiechmann reports, Delaware County took the first step in that process Monday.

The $225 million budgeted for public health is being given out by population.  Jammie Bane is the administrator for the Delaware County Health Department.  He says the county is eligible for a minimum of $1.3 million in 2024 and $2.6 million in 2025.

“This is a game-changing amount of money….  This funding will replace funding that we receive annually [from the state] that has typically been around $116,000.  So you can see the big difference there.”

Commissioners approved an ordinance on first reading Monday to create a fund in the county budget to receive that state money.

Bane says this first yes vote doesn’t mean the commissioners are locked into taking the state money.  Instead, a second yes vote to create the fund means he could create a budget on how the money will be used for the required programs.

The list of services the department will have to provide with the new money is broad. It includes everything from sanitary and food inspections to immunizations to HIV testing to preventative care for diabetes and obesity.

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Counties also have to provide a financial match.  Bane says it will replace previous local yearly funding and the minimum requirement is less than the county already gives to the health department.

But Bane says he’s already planning to ask for a higher-than-minimum county match in 2025 as he sees what happens in the next state biennial budget.

“So the state is confident that that money will proceed.  To me, it makes sense.  I don’t know if I’d want to be the politician who funds a ton of new public health services across the state, and then two years later takes them all away.”

The commissioners must decide to opt in or out by September 1.  The state money is expected to be released in January.

Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Brandon Smith contributed reporting to this story.