CLARK COUNTY, Ind. (WDRB) -- Indiana's governor wants to bolster spending by hundreds of millions of dollars for the state's public health services.
Gov. Eric Holcomb wants to spend nearly $350 million over the next two years for public health programs.
The governor’s plan would direct $100 million in the budget’s first year and $200 million in the second year toward boosting Indiana’s county public health department funding from its current 45th national ranking to the national average. The state now directs about $7 million a year to county health departments, which are now primarily funded by local taxes.
According to a report created by the Governor's Public Health Commission, a board created to study Indiana's public health system, "the state persistently ranks among the bottom 20 states, and often the bottom 10, on key public health metrics."
Also according to the report, "pre-pandemic state and CDC spending per person in 2018-19 averaged $55 in Indiana versus $91 nationally. (Figures from 2018-19 were used to reduce pandemic-related variation.)"
Local public health officials said the governor's proposal, would essentially double its reach in providing care.
"It would be the biggest investment in public health in the history of our state," said Clark County Public Health Officer Eric Yazel. "I look at, you know, what we could do through our own health department, I mean, we can implement so many new programs and kind of bolster some of the successive successful programs that we have."
It would also have an impact on local emergency medical services.
The Tri-Township Fire Protection District serves the Silver Creek, Carr, and Union Townships, including Sellersburg, parts of Clarksville, and Memphis. Fire Chief Amir Mousavi said many of the department's calls are related to emergency medical calls, not fires.
"It's a priority for us," Mousavi said.
Several Tri-Township firefighters are currently undergoing paramedic certification training, and are already certified in other life-saving protocols such as Advanced Life Support Care.
While firefighters receiving the certification is a benefit for the community, Mousavi said there is one problem.
"They are firefighters already, they have volunteered to go to paramedic training, but we don't have the funding even to pay them additional pay at this time," Mousavi said. "The going rate for a paramedic as a firefighter right now is an additional $10,000 stipend.
The state is in the process of drafting its two-year budget.
"They're realizing that all these programs can't reach their true potential without a healthy 911 and EMS system in the state," Yazel said.
Yazel said not only will it benefit EMS, but also overall quality of life for Hoosiers. Allowing for more staff at public health departments, provide community outreach and other preventative measures.
"We can implement so many new programs and kind of bolster some of the successful programs that we have, and it's just really exciting," Yazel said. "I think we can have a huge impact on the health of our community."
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