Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health Grants Surveillance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Health department reports grant changes, West Nile positive mosquitoes and expanded lead‑risk ZIP codes
Summary
LaSalle County public‑health staff reported a new hire, a Better Birth Outcomes grant replacing family case management, a paused $250,000 respiratory grant under legal challenge, expanded high‑risk ZIP codes for lead screening, and West Nile virus detection in local mosquitoes.
LaSalle County public‑health staff told the committee on Aug. 11 that the department hired a new public‑health nurse in July, leaving just one vacant public‑health nursing position. Staff said the department was awarded a Better Birth Outcomes grant that will replace the family case‑management grant which ended June 30, and that the department is preparing for back‑to‑school immunizations and expanded lead screening.
Staff reported that the Illinois Department of Public Health has lowered the blood‑lead reference level discussed in the meeting from 5 to 3.5 micrograms per deciliter and expanded the number of ZIP codes in LaSalle County designated as high risk; children living in those ZIP codes are subject to testing as part of well‑child visits and school‑entry screening for children age 6 and under. The department said it provides lead screening at low cost for children without a primary-care provider.
On grants and funding, public‑health staff said several grants remained at static funding levels but that one larger grant was reduced by nearly 30 percent and a few others lost smaller amounts; staff said they were monitoring budgets and rising program costs. The department also reported that a $250,000 respiratory grant was affected by a statewide stop‑payment and temporary restraining order earlier in the year; the department received 25 percent of that grant up front and is awaiting clarification on whether full payment will be released or funds returned.
Public‑health staff said West Nile virus had been detected in mosquitoes collected from the Marseilles area on July 23 and that the department will continue county mosquito testing; the department noted it is not testing dead birds this year because of avian influenza handling concerns. Staff also summarized outreach and communications work — including vaccination reminders, cooling‑center locations, WIC and STI testing availability, and social media safety messaging — and said the department now offers after‑hours appointments several evenings per month for immunizations, WIC and lead screenings.
The committee did not take a formal vote on health‑department items; the report was presented for information and the department said it will continue monitoring grants and public‑health indicators.
