A letter to the editor from Howard County Commissioner Jack Dodd
A healthy community is a strong community, one with a thriving economy, an improved quality of life, and a promising future.
That’s why, in 2023, the Howard County Commissioners chose to opt-in to the Health First Initiative (HFI), a program created by the Indiana General Assembly that is now revolutionizing the delivery of core public health services across Indiana through increased state investment.
These services focus on prevention, and include tobacco and vaping prevention and cessation, maternal and child health, trauma and injury prevention, access to care, chronic disease prevention, and lead case management. All of these are important parts of helping us create a healthy and strong Howard County.
Last year, with the state’s investment through HFI, the Howard County Health Department was able to make significant operational changes and implement new programs. The investment allowed the department to extend its operating hours, making it more accessible to residents looking to use its services. It also allowed the department to hire a dedicated public health nurse for maternal and child health to help improve birth outcomes and provide more resources to new Howard County families.
Additionally, the department was able to launch a new 12-week program, “Food as Medicine,” to help support individuals at risk for or living with type 2 diabetes and expand K-12 educational programs aimed at addressing youth tobacco and vaping use.
All of this — and much more — was only made possible through the state’s HFI investment and the support and collaboration of countless local community partners, including nonprofits, businesses, schools, and health systems.
After all, a healthy community benefits all of us.
This year, with the state’s continued investment through HFI, the health department has plans to further enhance and expand the services the county provides to residents. The department will expand the educational programs it offers to residents, including for nutrition, exercise and preventative care. Alongside community partners, the department will offer training on CPR, suicide prevention, Narcan administration, disaster preparedness, smoking prevention, and bloodborne pathogen safety. Furthermore, the department will launch new disease prevention initiatives aimed at improving health outcomes.
Importantly, the county also will continue to recruit and retain a qualified public health staff to ensure our residents are receiving the best service and care possible.
The new and expanded educational programs, trainings, and other services the Howard County Health Department is now able to provide thanks to the state’s HFI investment are addressing real, critical health needs of our residents — your family, friends, and neighbors. I encourage our state legislature to continue this funding so that we as a county can continue to make Howard County a healthy and healthier place.
We are proud of the progress we are making in building a healthier and stronger Howard County and are committed to doing all we can to make it an even better place to call home.
Jack Dodd is president of the Howard County Board of Commissioners, representing Kokomo and central Howard County.