Health and Hospital Corporation board approves consent agenda; hears budget, bond and program updates

The Health and Hospital Corporation Board of Trustees on an otherwise routine agenda approved its consent calendar by a 5-0 roll call vote and then heard reports on the corporation’s upcoming budget presentation to the City-County Council, a planned bond refunding timetable, supplier-diversity spending, public-health program outcomes and behavioral-health expansions.

“Tomorrow evening at 05:30 in the Public Assembly Room, the Health and Hospital, we will be presenting our budget to the City-County Council Municipal Corporations Committee,” said Paul Babcock, CEO and president of the Health and Hospital Corporation, noting trustees could watch the committee online on channel 16.

The nut graf: trustees were given fiscal and program updates ahead of a council review of the corporation’s 2026 budget and were asked to note several operational items that will return for board action later. The board approved the consent agenda — which included minutes, treasurer and CFO reports, appointments and clinical-privilege forms — and then received briefing-level reports rather than taking additional votes.

Finance and bonds: James Simpson, interim chief financial officer and assistant treasurer, reported year-to-date fund-balance results through Aug. 31 and an updated schedule for a bond refunding. Simpson said the change in fund balance through Aug. 31 showed “a decrease of 12,100,000.0,” an improvement from the prior month’s $13,300,000 decrease, and projected an improved year-end decrease of $23,200,000 compared with a prior $28,900,000 projection. He attributed some of the improvement to stronger investment income and slightly lower expenditures than projected.

Simpson also outlined the timeline for a two-part bond refunding: rating calls (Moody’s completed, S&P rescheduled), preliminary official statements to be posted in early October, pricing expected the week of Oct. 13 and a closing targeted for Nov. 5. The board was told the schedule had slipped a few weeks but that the team remained on target to close before year-end.

Program and operations updates: Paul Babcock introduced Lisa Taylor as the corporation’s new chief compliance officer; Babcock said Monday had been her first day on the job. He also said most construction projects were “on schedule” but noted one project (IMS) was delayed by a permit issue.

Procurement and supplier diversity: Felicia Roseburg reported supplier-engagement figures through July 31. The corporation’s applicable spend totaled $183,000,690; overall diversity spend was reported as 11.57% of applicable spend. Reported category results included 7.8% of applicable spend with minority-owned businesses (goal 15%), 2.68% with women-owned enterprises (goal 8%), 0.95% with veteran-owned businesses (goal 3%) and 0.15% with disabled-owned businesses (goal 1%).

Public health outcomes and programs: Dr. Virginia Kane, director and chief medical officer for Marion County Public Health, presented an update on the county’s safe syringe access and support program, which Marion County began operating in April 2019 under a 2018 public-health emergency declaration. Kane said the county’s acute hepatitis C rate fell from 8.7 cases per 100,000 in 2018 to 1.6 cases per 100,000 in 2024. She also noted the Indiana law governing syringe exchange is scheduled to sunset in July 2026 and will be addressed in the upcoming legislative session.

Kane reported several service activities and grant awards: the health department participated in a community festival, provided food-truck inspections, operated mobile units including a Smile Mobile and a prostate-screening mobile unit, and said the healthy homes/environmental consumer management/senior-care program received a $25,000 grant from the Central Indiana Senior Forum Fund to support fall-prevention education and safety-item replacements.

Clinical and behavioral-health developments: Dr. Lisa Harris, CEO of Eskenazi Health, briefed trustees on clinical recognitions — including stroke-center designations and Lown Institute rankings for community benefit and avoiding overuse — and named Dr. Graham Carlos as chief medical officer of specialty care. Harris also noted three procurement bids included in the board packet that will be discussed in depth next month by the director of supply chain.

Dr. Ashley Overly, CEO of the San Andreas Knozzi Mental Health Center (as introduced at the meeting), reported on the certified community behavioral health clinic (CCBHC) implementation. She said the state dashboard shows the center is providing same-day intakes (average 0.2 days) and meeting a quality measure of therapeutic services within 10 business days (reported average 4.8 days from first contact). Overly described a new Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team with 15 staff, a current caseload of 61 and capacity for 100 patients; she said the team has helped avoid hospital readmissions and enabled long-acting injectable medications to be administered in the community.

Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services: Chief Dan O’Donnell reported internal awards and upcoming public events. He described a record 14 crews competing in an internal skills competition, multiple shift award winners, and IMS involvement in planned public events including a hazardous-materials exercise, the Circle City Classic Parade and hosting activities during the EMS World Convention.

Long-term care and foundation reports: Julie White, vice president of long-term care, said resident occupancy remained steady at 76% and described recent quality-review visits and a nursing-excellence graduation program. Angela White of the Eskenazi Health Foundation summarized foundation board activity, strategic planning work and year-end fundraising priorities, and said the foundation’s board meets Dec. 8 to vote on new members and leadership for 2026.

Votes at a glance: The board approved the consent agenda (motion to approve consent agenda moved by Trustee Horne; seconded by Vice Chairperson Drummer) by roll call, 5-0. No other formal votes were recorded in the transcript.

The meeting closed with the board setting its next meeting for Oct. 21, 2025, and adjourning.

Ending: Trustees received fiscal and program updates intended to inform the board’s review of the 2026 budget before the City-County Council committee hearing; procurement bids and several operational items were flagged for deeper review at future meetings.