Nicollet County OKs public‑health grant agreements and proclaims Dec. 11 Health & Human Services Worker Day

Nicollet County’s Board approved a series of grant agreements and a proclamation Nov. 26 as the county prepares to operate as a single‑county community health board beginning Jan. 1, 2025.

Health & Human Services staff described the Community Support Grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services—$185,984 allocated for calendar years 2024–2025—to support community support program services and unfunded case management for uninsured or underinsured adults. The board approved the grant contract and signature authority for the chair and department head.

Staff also reviewed new grant project agreements tied to the county’s transition from a multi‑county community health board: a local public health grant (reported in the packet at $155,778 annually) and a foundational public health responsibilities grant ($200,692 annually). Staff said Nicollet will enter separate grant project agreements with the Minnesota Department of Health for each program area and will host a SHIP (Statewide Health Improvement Partnership) grant project covering Nicollet, Brown, Le Sueur and Waseca counties; Nicollet will act as the designated agency for project administration and reporting.

Finally, the board adopted a proclamation recognizing Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024 as County, City, Tribal and State Health and Human Services Worker Day to acknowledge public‑health staff contributions. The board also authorized the Health & Human Services director and the chair to execute incoming contracts during the January jurisdictional transition.

Next steps: staff will sign and execute the grant project agreements and bring any follow‑up partnership agreements back to the board as required.