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Iroquois County health department outlines programs, school outreach and grant cuts; respiratory grant reduced by $105,000
Summary
County health staff reported program activity including 33 food inspections, 36 tobacco-compliance checks, new STI school education planned for next school year, CPR and car-seat safety trainings, and several grant updates; a respiratory grant was cut by $105,000, with $35,000 prepaid and about $22,000 spent.
Anne Lynn and other county health staff gave a monthly update at the Iroquois County Health & Community meeting describing program activity, planned outreach and grant balances.
Program activity: The department reported 33 food inspections in March and seven temporary permits, many for fish fries, and 13 water-sample kits collected from noncommunity water sources. The department conducted 36 tobacco-compliance inspections and one body-art inspection of a tattoo shop. Staff also performed nine tuberculosis tests, four lead screenings and two state-mandated maternity screenings. The jail health program assessed 12 inmates, and preschool vision and hearing screenings accounted for seven screenings.
School and community outreach: Health staff said a recently hired health educator will begin school-based STI education in the new school year after coordinating with the junior high and high school. The educator is also teaching CPR courses, ran two "Safe Sitter" classes with 17 students, and is planning a first-aid program called "Camp 911" through the school district. The department plans a car-seat safety class in mid-April and intends to offer seat checks during summer vaccine clinics. A senior social event is planned for May 3.
Grants and budget impacts: Staff reviewed multiple grant lines. The respiratory grant was cut last Monday, reducing available funding by $105,000 for this year and next; the department received a $35,000 prepayment and has spent about $22,000 from that account. Staff said some grant balances shown in the packet are not fully up to date because the county recently billed its third-quarter claims, and balances should decrease in the next report. The CIPA grant line showed a balance of "350" in the report and is expected to drop next quarter. The emergency senior services balance was shown as "90" in the packet but staff said they have billed the quarter and used funds. An opioid-response allocation from Kankakee County is available to the health department but had not yet been spent.
Transportation and partnerships: Board members clarified that the rural bus route that serves the community is a commercial/public route the county does not contract with; the department said many seniors rely on that route for medical and vaccination appointments.
Why it matters: The program and grant updates reflect service delivery to seniors, students and other residents, and the loss of respiratory funding could reduce capacity for respiratory-related prevention activities. Staff said they are already working on fiscal year 2026 budgeting in anticipation of further changes.
Direct quotes in this article are from county health staff who presented the report at the meeting.
