Porter County Board of Health funds community diabetes screening, backs AED registry grant and approves emergency preparedness contract

The Porter County Board of Health on a series of unanimous votes approved one-year funding to continue a mobile diabetes screening program, authorized applying for a countywide AED registry grant, and voted to contract an emergency preparedness coordinator on a six-month term.

The board approved a $6,529.76 allocation to continue the Reducing Undiagnosed Diabetes Initiative (RUDI), a partnership between the health department and Powers Health that used a mobile A1C testing unit to screen community members. Lisa Kyger, director of business development for Powers Health, told the board the program screened roughly 776 people during the first eight months of activity and found about 30% of high-risk testers were prediabetic or diabetic. Kyger said Powers Health is asking the board to fund supplies for up to 500 additional tests for the coming year.

The RUDI request broke down supply costs and alternatives: screening supplies for 500 patients were estimated at $6,529.76; projections for 750 patients were $9,537.70 and for 1,000 patients $12,545.64. Shannon (last name not provided), a registered nurse and certified diabetes care and education specialist with Powers Health, described outreach at workplaces, YMCAs and libraries and said the program aims to reach adults 35 and older who are overweight or obese, citing the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation to screen that population. Kyger and Shannon said the per-test cartridge cost is about $11.12 and that Powers Health already supplies the mobile machine and most overhead costs.

Board members moved and voted to continue the RUDI program for one fiscal year at the 500-patient supply level. Kyger and Shannon said the work is primarily outreach and education: even people who decline testing receive materials and referral information for diabetes prevention and management classes.

The board also authorized the county health department to apply for a Porter County Community Foundation grant of $10,000 for implementation of PulsePoint, an AED registry and citizen-responder notification system. The application would cover a one-time implementation fee; if funded, county leaders plan to assemble a multi-agency strategic team to register AEDs, connect municipal partners and enroll trained citizens in the PulsePoint responder app. Health department staff said the registry component is free but the county is seeking funds for countywide implementation and subscription elements.

Separately, the board approved a six-month contract to hire Jeff (last name not provided) as the county's emergency preparedness coordinator on a contractor basis while staff await final grant agreements. Department staff said the contract term is limited because the position depends on incoming emergency preparedness funds; the county has cash on hand for roughly six months of the position and is seeking longer support if and when the state contract arrives.

Other administrative items approved included acceptance of a draft emergency preparedness attachment to the department's contract (staff said the draft showed funding slightly lower than expected) and routine claims and receipts.

"We found people in very unusual places," Shannon said of the RUDI outreach, describing tests performed at factories, libraries and YMCAs. "Even if they lost me, they knew that they were high risk and they had somewhere to go right after." Kyger added that Powers Health aims to expand worksites and library visits and that the program has partnerships across Porter County school systems and corporate employers.

Board members and staff emphasized the preventive value of early screening and cross-organizational coordination. The board moved quickly through the items after hearing the presentations and approved the motions by voice roll call.

The board also received updates on a yoga-based program for first responders and recovery centers called Strength and Stillness and on routine department outreach such as school newsletters and back-to-school vaccination efforts.

Votes at a glance

- Continuation of RUDI (Reducing Undiagnosed Diabetes Initiative): motion to fund supplies for up to 500 patients at $6,529.76; outcome: approved (recorded roll-call yes votes during the meeting). Funding is for one fiscal year; Powers Health will be reimbursed for purchases up to the approved amount.

- PulsePoint AED registry grant application (Porter County Community Foundation): motion to apply for $10,000 implementation grant; outcome: approved (recorded roll-call yes votes during the meeting). The implementation fee is described as a one-time cost; staff plan a countywide strategic effort if awarded.

- Emergency preparedness coordinator contract (Jeff): motion to approve a six-month contractor contract pending funding; outcome: approved (recorded roll-call yes votes during the meeting). The contract is a temporary, reimbursable arrangement while state funding is finalized.

- Emergency public health preparedness attachment: staff presented a draft attachment to the existing contract and moved to approve proposed spending; outcome: approved (recorded roll-call yes votes during the meeting).

- Claims and receipts: approved by roll call.

Why it matters: The board's actions fund continuing community screening that identified substantial numbers of people at risk of diabetes, move the county toward a coordinated AED registry and preserve emergency preparedness staffing while state contracts are finalized. Each decision carries near-term budget implications and depends in part on external grant awards and contract signatures the health department is still pursuing.

The board scheduled its next meeting for Sept. 2 and asked Powers Health and department staff to provide follow-up details on outreach locations, a refined intake form for screening and confirmation of CLIA licensure paperwork required for performing point-of-care A1C testing.