By HOLLY GASKILL
The Wells County Health Department has received over $300,000 in grant requests for Health First Indiana funding.
Through HFI, the department has allocated $135,000 for grants to local groups already addressing health needs in Wells County. The application period closed on Sept. 27, with reportedly eight local groups requesting roughly $309,000 in total.
The health board met with the department on Thursday morning to discuss the next steps for the application review. Administrator Sahara Wall and Public Health Nurse Lynn Blevins said they have some follow-up questions for applications, particularly those that requested large amounts.
Blevins said that ideally, every group would receive a grant amount, but that it would be very difficult to do so. He noted some requests do fit the key performance indicators listed by the state, but may be difficult to track data for the department’s reporting.
Subsequently, the board said they would consider awarding partial grant amounts and offering either a second round of grant applications or a second installment contingent on reporting metrics.
To discuss this more in-depth, the board ultimately agreed to form a three-person subcommittee to meet with department heads and Health Officer Dr. Brandon Huggins. The board’s next meeting is slated for Dec. 19, when the grants would tentatively be approved.
The board also agreed 4-0 to change its regular meeting time to accommodate Huggins’ work schedule in 2025. Huggins, who was absent, has not been able to attend the board’s Thursday meetings due to his surgery schedule.
The health board meets on the third Thursday of every other month at 6:30 a.m. but will meet on the third Monday at the same time in 2025. Its February meeting, however, will be on Thursday, Feb. 20, due to a conflict with President’s Day. Board members Chris Esterling, Molly Hoag, Tamara Troutt and Dr. Mary Donley voted in favor of the schedule change; Dr. Bart Hott, Steve Bales and Ann McNabb were absent.
Department updates were brief, as vital records and septic permits have all been lower recently. That said, flood shots have been busy and there was an influx of food inspections for Ossian Days and the Bluffton Free Street Fair.
Wall said the department received great feedback on the community baby shower, which she hopes to make an annual offering. She registered 85 attendants in total, who were able to hear from 15 different vendors.
holly@news-banner.com
