Johnson County commissioners on Sept. 8 approved travel for a health department educator to attend the American Public Health Association annual meeting and expo in Washington, D.C., with costs paid from Health First Indiana (HFI) funds.

Betsy Swearingen, director of the Johnson County Health Department, said the department requested permission for the health educator to attend the national conference. Commissioners discussed prior concerns about out-of-state travel but supported the trip as justified. The motion to approve travel and to use HFI funds carried.

Swearingen said the APHA conference rotates locations and has previously been held in Indiana; commissioners noted that if the conference returns to Indiana travel costs would be lower.

The transcript did not specify exact travel dates, registration costs or the educator's name.