Black Hawk County public health outlines workforce plan, cancer focus and mobile clinic as 2026 priorities

Public Health Director (Speaker 12) presented a year-in-review to the Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 16, framing 2025 as a year of organizational change and service expansion while asking the board to support three advocacy priorities for 2026.

"We have 58 employees over 5 different program areas," the director said, summarizing staffing and structural updates that accompanied a renewed mission and core values aligned with the county. The department reported several program milestones in 2025: record informing completion rates for newly‑eligible Medicaid families, a record number of developmental referrals for children 0–5 (275 referrals), expansion of colorectal and breast cancer screening outreach and a launch of a mobile health clinic with two exam rooms and laboratory capacity.

Public Health officials described funding shifts and one-time grants that supported the work: a $277,000 award for Thrive community care coordination, $50,000 from the Molina Cares Foundation, and a $75,000 contribution from the solid-waste commission. The department also said a previously announced cut to disease-investigation funds was reversed and extended for three years—roughly $100,000 annually—allowing continued STI follow-up services.

On workforce planning, the director said staff completed an FY 26–27 workforce plan built from staff input and competency assessments. The plan identified three priority gaps—billing and coding for clinical services, health communications, and community navigation—and includes training on change management, succession planning and trauma-informed care.

The department presented three advocacy priorities for 2026: 1) strengthen local public health and be included in any state public‑health realignment; 2) address Iowa’s high cancer rates with prevention, early detection and social‑determinant interventions (transportation, childcare); and 3) improve access to affordable, quality care, including seeking reimbursement models for community health worker services. The director said the department has done outreach with state legislators, including a recent meeting with State Senator Dave Sayers.

Board members asked about specific programs and data: environmental health staff reported 32 lead inspections in 2025 and the department said efforts to remediate lead exposure rely on assessment and targeted mitigation; the public health team also alerted the board that Black Hawk County has had a high West Nile virus index for the last three years and urged education and mosquito‑habitat mitigation.

The presentation closed with an operational to‑do list for 2026: finish office renovations and move the clinic, operationalize the mobile clinic, pursue strategic planning and continue diversifying funding sources.

The board acknowledged the presentation and indicated follow-up questions would be handled by staff.