County social services and EMS reports: Jay County Country Living Center progress; JEMS flags transfer concerns

PORTLAND, Ind. — Jay County officials heard service updates May 27 from the director of the Jay County Country Living Center and local emergency medical service supervisors.

Stacey Johnson, director of the Jay County Country Living Center, briefed the commissioners on operations: Mustard Seed has nearly completed work on the men's bathroom, new floors are installed, and the center will host a community garden with Purdue Extension and the Jay County Health Department next week. The center currently has 19 residents and is evaluating double occupancy for some rooms; staff are verifying residents’ mental and physical acuity to confirm placements. Johnson said the department plans future fundraising but was advised to check with insurance and the auditor’s office before holding events.

JEMS shift supervisors Gary Barnett and Jessica Curtis presented monthly financials and asked whether commissioners wanted additional data going forward; Commissioner Aker requested run counts accompany monthly financial information. Curtis said the department largely stopped accepting transfers from IU Health — mainly overnight transfers — because that would frequently leave the county’s only ambulance outside Jay County on a non-emergent run. She said that could mean residents waiting “thirty minutes to receive assistance” or calls being answered by other e-services.

What’s next: Commissioners asked JEMS to include run counts with future financial reports and will monitor transfer policies and their effect on response times.