The Monroe County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 14 approved a suite of public health grants and partnership agreements intended to support disease intervention, emergency preparedness and harm-reduction services.

Kim Kelly, a health department staff member, told commissioners the Indiana Department of Health Disease Intervention Services award of $58,835 will expand work across 16 counties but that Monroe County still needs an additional staff position to meet grant requirements. “We still do, need an additional position approved, to be able to carry out the terms of this grant,” Kelly said, noting the contract requires vacancies to be filled within 90 days if the contract is executed.

The board also approved a $20,000 Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) grant that Kelly said will help “replenish supplies, pay for services, training, mileage and travel expenses.” The commissioners approved a second amendment to the county’s Harm Reduction grant — Amendment No. 2 — that provides $71,391 to support the salary of the county’s harm reduction specialist, Kelly said. She told the board the prior amendment only extended the term; this second amendment adds new funding to keep the position funded beyond October.

Separately, the board approved a memorandum of understanding with Milk Bank, Inc. to host a donor/recipient pickup and distribution point at county facilities. Kelly said Milk Bank provides supplies and covers shipping costs and that “there’s no cost to us;” the county’s contribution is staff time and space.

The board also authorized use of an Ivy Tech classroom for point-of-dispensing (POD) training and exercises; Kelly said there is no rental cost under the agreement. Kelly reminded the public that the health department expects trivalent flu vaccine doses to arrive in the next month and announced a free car-seat safety check on Sept. 26 at 320 W. Eighth St.

All measures were approved by roll call in the regular meeting; each recorded vote on these items carried “2–0,” as recorded in the meeting minutes.

Why it matters: the funding and partnerships collectively support Monroe County’s capacity to respond to infectious disease, maintain harm-reduction services and run emergency dispensing operations. Commissioners and staff stressed that keeping positions funded is essential to delivering the expanded work financed by the grants.

The health department provided a public contact phone number for clinic appointments and for more information: (812) 353-3244.