Health department seeks state‑funded positions and grants for screenings, infection prevention and ADA work

Ottawa County Health Department Director Adeline Hambly briefed the committee on Jan. 14 about several state grants and position requests that would be added to the finance agenda for county approval. All of the requests described by Hambly are funded by state grants and not by county general fund, she said.

Hambly proposed several personnel changes tied to new or increased state allocations: increase a dental assistant position from 0.8 to 1.0 FTE to meet kindergarten oral‑health screening requirements (a state award of almost $100,000 was cited); create a full‑time hearing and vision technician funded by an increase to central local public health services funding (about $125,000 increase cited); increase a hearing and vision clerk from 0.5 to 0.8 FTE; and create a substance‑use disorder educator position once a related grant is formally approved. Hambly said the positions would allow the department to meet state screening mandates and expand school‑based services.

She also described a roughly $900,000 infection‑prevention grant (federal ELC funding referenced in discussion) that the department would accept to offset staff time and outbreak response costs related to healthcare‑associated and zoonotic infections; Hambly said the state clarified acceptable uses and that the funding was intended to offset existing costs rather than fund new, long‑term positions. Hambly added that the department was offered a workforce and infrastructure grant (roughly $704,000 to $705,000) that could be applied toward clinic remodel and ADA compliance work in the Holland clinic; facilities had previously estimated ADA‑related work at approximately $500,000–$600,000 and clinic remodel at about $500,000.

Commissioners discussed timing and whether items needed to be added to the finance agenda in January or could wait until the Feb. 28 Board meeting; Hambly said the state’s eGRAMS amendment windows and hiring timelines made earlier action preferable for staffing requests, though the state indicated grants could be backdated if necessary. Commissioners and staff agreed to consider adding the urgent personnel items to the finance committee agenda.

Hambly said these requests do not use county general fund dollars and that she had discussed them with the county administrator. She provided detail packets on program scope and permissible grant uses and asked the committee to move items to finance for the board’s consideration so hiring and program implementation could proceed pending official approvals.