County commissioners opt in to boosted health funding from Indiana, reappoint health board
SOUTH BEND — St. Joseph County commissioners voted 3-0 Wednesday to opt into the state’s program to vastly boost funding to the county health department.
Next up, the county council must also approve opting into Health First Indiana. Members of the council’s Republican majority have told The Tribune they feel the measure will likely pass, as they either see potential to grow certain initiatives or don’t see an issue with it.
Local health officials say it could bring an extra $3.1 million to $4.2 million in the first year and $6.3 million to $8 million in the second year, depending on how many counties opt into the program.
At a health forum last week, the executives of the area’s two major hospitals, the community foundation and the local NAACP all urged county officials to accept the state money, saying that significant progress needs to be made in local health outcomes.
June 27, 2023: St. Joe County leaders urged to go after millions of state dollars for health
The program was adopted by the Indiana state legislature this year as Senate Enrolled Act 4, the result of a governor’s commission to pull Indiana out of 45th place in public health spending.
Commissioners President Carl Baxmeyer said that, early in the legislative process, he’d signed a letter from some local elected officials expressing concern that the program would limit local control. He said Wednesday that the legislature then removed those concerns with “significant” changes to allow more local control in using the dollars.
Sept. 1 is the deadline for the county to apply for the money.
Dr. Joseph Cerbin, the current health officer, said his staff feels his staff have made progress with technical aspects of preparing for the application. His successor in late July, Dr. Diana Purushotham, will complete the application, including the focus on where and how the money will be spent.
Health board members reappointed
Also Wednesday, the commissioners voted 3-0 to reappoint five members of the county’s health board and to add a new one, Dr. Elizabeth Lindenman, a local family physician affiliated with the South Bend Clinic.
The reappointments and addition are part of the requirements of the Senate Enrolled Act 4, which calls for counties of this size to have nine-member health boards. The St. Joseph County health board currently has seven.
Jan. 26, 2023: As GOP chair replaces 1 member of county health board, another resigns
The reappointed members are John Linn, Dr. Michelle Milgiore, Ellen Reilander, Kristin Vincent and Dr. Robert Hays. Jill Kaps VanBruaene was reappointed to the board by the county council in June.
Baxmeyer said that the mayors of South Bend and Mishawaka also have opportunities to nominate health board candidates to the commissioners. That, Baxmeyer said, could include current member Heidi Beidinger, who was originally nominated by South Bend’s mayor.
Beidinger has said in a recent health board meeting that she’s concerned that she might not be reappointed, alluding to political pressures.
Baxmeyer said that the commissioners weren’t seeking to make any changes in their appointments.
South Bend Tribune reporter Joseph Dits can be reached at 574-235-6158 or jdits@sbtinfo.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: St. Joseph County Commissioners opt in health funding from Indiana
