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Bangor approves public‑health funding, hires two HIV case managers and readies grants for housing and paramedicine
Summary
Bangor Public Health reported 28 reported HIV cases in an ongoing outbreak, said it has filled two intensive case manager positions and received state and philanthropic support for implementation; the council authorized multiple grant applications and an appropriation to support public-health infrastructure.
Bangor Public Health and Community Services Director Jen Gunnerman told the Government Operations Committee on Sept. 15 that the city is responding to an HIV outbreak and has filled two intensive case‑manager positions funded by opioid settlement money.
"We're still at 28 reported cases," Gunnerman said, and she described a plan to enroll clients the week of Oct. 6 and to use an RFP to secure a vehicle lease and clinical oversight arrangements.
Staff told the committee that the city has secured clinical oversight and that Frannie Peabody staff won a MHAP grant that will help train case managers and set up MaineCare billing. Gunnerman said Maine CDC and the federal CDC have been involved in reviewing local strategies and recommended models for intensive case management.
The committee also heard an update on mosquito‑borne disease: Maine CDC issued a health alert putting Penobscot County at elevated risk for Eastern Equine Encephalitis; staff said colder, drier weather may reduce risk but the city is distributing education materials.
On formal actions, the committee authorized four items by unanimous consent: (1) an order authorizing the city manager to apply for a state housing‑stability grant not to exceed $400,000; (2) an order authorizing the city manager to execute a memorandum of agreement with Karen Gardner, LCSW, to provide clinical oversight for the intensive case‑manager program; (3) a resolve accepting and appropriating up to an additional $730,000 from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to strengthen public‑health infrastructure; and (4) an order authorizing the city manager to apply for a Cold Foundation grant for $243,225 to support a community paramedicine program. Committee minutes show the four items were moved, seconded and approved with no objections; vote tallies were not specified.
Gunnerman also told the committee the general assistance maximums set by the state increased substantially; she cited an example in the packet that one‑bedroom unheated maxima rose "from $8.98 to $1,043" and cautioned that city costs could increase as a result.
Why it matters: the city is deploying settlement funds and state/federal coordination to expand case management for an HIV outbreak and is moving quickly to lock in grants and oversight that will enable MaineCare billing and community‑based services.
