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Clinton County health department: commissioners approve staff-hour increases and opt into Health First and PEF funding
Summary
The board approved increasing two health department positions from 32 to 35 hours (estimated additional cost about $11,382) and voted to opt into Health First funding and pursue a $25,000 PEF reimbursable grant; the county also endorsed participation in Region 3's rural health transformation initiatives.
Melissa Hudson of the Clinton County Health Department asked commissioners to make two permanent position changes: increase a certified medical assistant (Kayla Cheek) and a community health worker (Karina Martinez) from 32 to 35 hours per week to align schedules, reduce comp-time accrual and improve clinic coverage.
Hudson said both positions are funded through Health First Indiana and estimated the total annual cost of the two changes at about $11,382, including Social Security, Medicare and PERF. "This will align them with the rest of that staff," Hudson said, adding that the change is position-based rather than person-based.
Commissioners asked about contingency plans if Health First funding were reduced; Hudson said she had not seen substantial risk that the funding would disappear, acknowledged the program's allocation had decreased from earlier years, and said the positions could be realigned under other grants such as rural health transformation if needed.
The board approved the 35-hour-per-week change for the two positions, 3-0. Hudson also asked the board to opt into Health First funding for the coming budget and to pursue a $25,000 PEF (preparedness) reimbursable grant; commissioners approved both motions, each by a 3-0 vote.
Hudson additionally briefed the board on Region 3's rural health transformation initiatives, which include mobile integrated health, chronic disease prevention, screening and care, prenatal access/navigation/transportation, food access and care coordination, and efforts to expand sustainable primary care. The board authorized the chair to sign a letter of intent to participate in the regional initiatives.
