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Health department asks committee to appropriate $100,000 for vaccines as clinics continue amid high flu activity
Summary
Health department staff told the committee they have delivered about 500 flu vaccinations this season and requested an appropriation of $100,000 from a special fund to purchase vaccines and medicines; finance staff said the fund has roughly $840,000 in cash and council approval is required to appropriate.
The Youngstown health department told the Finance Committee on Jan. 7 that community vaccine clinics have delivered about 500 vaccinations this flu season and asked the committee to appropriate $100,000 from a special fund to purchase additional vaccines.
Health staff said clinics have served schools, churches, nursing homes and community groups and will host additional open clinics due to high flu activity; "we've had about 500 people thus far this flu season come to get vaccines," a health official said. The department bills insurance (Medicaid, Medicare and private insurers) when possible and provides vaccines at no cost to uninsured residents.
Finance staff clarified this request is not from the health department’s normal operating fund but from a special vaccine fund that ended 2025 with roughly $840,000 in cash. "Council is being requested to appropriate a $100,000 so the vaccines can get purchased," the finance director said, adding the appropriation mechanism is an ordinance the council must approve because the dollars are not part of the normal budget.
Committee members asked for clarification on billing, insurance coverage and whether uninsured residents would be charged; the health official said uninsured residents receive vaccines at no cost and staff help people apply for insurance when appropriate.
The committee forwarded ordinances to the council floor for consideration; any appropriation must be approved by full council before funds are spent.
What’s next: the appropriation requires a council ordinance to spend the special fund balance; staff said additional clinics will be scheduled and will be publicized.
