Governor Eric J. Holcomb announced this week that 86 of Indiana’s 92 counties have opted-in to receive historic funding to improve the health of Hoosiers through local partnerships between public health, healthcare, nonprofits and other entities as a result of legislation passed in the 2023 legislative session.
The overwhelming participation in the initiative known as Health First Indiana, which was made possible by passage of Senate Enrolled Act 4 (2023) and House Enrolled Act 1001 (2023), means that nearly 96 percent of Hoosiers will be guaranteed access to core public health services that will help address issues such as childhood lead poisoning, heart disease, tobacco cessation, obesity and maternal and infant mortality, and take additional steps to improve Indiana’s health outcomes.
Historically, Indiana’s 92 counties shared a pot of $6.9 million in public health funding annually from the state; under the new legislation, $75 million will be distributed to counties that opted-in beginning January 1, 2024, and another $150 million will be allocated beginning in 2025. Counties that did not opt-in to the enhanced funding will have the opportunity to opt-in for 2025. Participating counties are working to finalize plans for the funding so they can formalize programming once the money is distributed.
Locally, Marshall, Pulaski and Starke Counties have opted into the health initiative for 2024. Marshall County opted in for $556,232.82, Pulaski County opted in for $170,318.12, and Starke County opted in for $263,825.27. The counties will need to come up with a match which is the average of county tax levy-related funds distributed to the local health department in years 2021, 2022 and 2023.
