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Hillsdale County health officer reports uptick in Lyme disease, outlines outreach challenges
Summary
The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joe district health officer presented the FY2025 annual report, cited a steady increase in Lyme disease and discussed mobile-unit outreach limitations and fund balances; the department's audited fund balance was reported at $3,967,661 (unassigned $223,549).
Becky, the district health officer, briefed the Hillsdale County Board of Commissioners on the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joe Health Departmentannual report for fiscal year 2025. She highlighted disease trends, service-delivery efforts and financial results.
On communicable disease, Becky said the district is seeing a steady increase in Lyme disease cases and asked residents to take standard tick-avoidance precautions. She also noted increases in identified latent TB cases and said some of that rise corresponded with testing of incoming workers and migrants.
The departmentreported an agency fund balance of $3,967,661 for fiscal 2025; of that, $3,597,456 was assigned and $223,549 unassigned, Becky said in response to a commissioner query. She said much of the available balance reflects cost-based Medicaid reimbursements that must be spent on eligible programs.
Becky also described limited uptake for mobile-unit services in remote parts of the county and said the department will report service statistics at the next Board of Health meeting in July to help guide outreach planning. She highlighted a highway-safety grant partnership that includes outreach to the Amish community to improve buggy visibility and road safety.
What happens next: The health department will provide more granular service statistics for its mobile unit at the July Board of Health meeting and staff will continue to monitor communicable disease trends.
Speakers quoted: Becky (health officer).
