Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Health First Indiana Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Henry County health director warns steep HFI cut would force staff reductions; asks commissioners to keep levy steady
Summary
Angela Cox told a joint work session the county's Health First Indiana funding fell from more than $1.6 million to about $285,283, creating a potential loss of staff equivalent to about three full-time positions if the county reduces its tax-levy support; commissioners offered verbal support but did not take a vote.
Angela Cox, who spoke to a joint work session of the Henry County Council and County Commissioners, told elected officials that recent state changes to Health First Indiana (HFI) funding sharply reduced the county’s award and risked major service cuts unless local tax-levy support is maintained.
Cox said the county’s HFI allocation fell from $1,670,000 to $285,283.13 after the state recalculation. "That was over a million dollars we lost in the matter of an email," she said. Under the Senate Enrolled Act that governs HFI, counties must provide a 20% local match; Cox said 20% of the $285,283.13 award would be $57,056.63.
Cox described how the department historically ran on a small legacy state amount (listed in her briefing as $58,132.84), the tax-levy settlement (about $491,242.89 in one year she cited), and roughly $100,000 in receipts from environmental permitting and inspection fees. She said she used the HFI funding to move staff salaries onto that revenue stream in 2025 and hired additional staff when the higher award was first announced.
If the county accepts the reduced HFI award and the council reduces the tax-levy settlement accordingly, Cox said the department could lose the equivalent of about three full-time employees. "It's gonna be tough," she said when asked whether the department could meet state deliverables on the reduced funding; she added she could "minimally" meet the requirements only if local support remains.
Cox asked commissioners for a clear, on-record signal that the county would not reduce the health department’s tax-levy allocation as a condition of accepting HFI funds. Commissioners and council members offered verbal support for her request during the work session but took no formal vote. One commissioner said, "I’m gonna fully support, you know, trying to back what you guys need the best we can," while another said budget sessions will be challenging given legislative changes.
Cox also warned that an amendment to the HFI program limits spending on tobacco-related programs: HFI funds can only be used for school anti-tobacco support and programs to help pregnant women quit smoking, she said. She noted other grant sources that fund local programs — including opioid settlement funds and the Drug Free Communities grant managed locally — remain important to sustain key positions.
County finance contractor Baker Tilly was cited as still compiling revenue estimates for the county; officials said they expect a more complete revenue picture by mid-June ahead of formal budget hearings. Cox asked for flexibility from state and local partners as the county finalizes staffing and program decisions.
