Financial Struggles for Indiana Health Departments
GREENWOOD, Ind.–Your county’s health department will likely be forced to make some sacrifices because of state budget cuts to public health. The cuts were made because of projections of a $2.4 billion budget shortfall, caused mostly by the cutting of federal funds and the expected effects of tariffs on the state’s economy.
“We absolutely will not be able to provide some of the same programs that we’re providing this year,” said Betsy Swearingen, director of the Johnson County Health Dept., on WISH TV’s All INdiana Politics. “Or I guess I should say we’re not going to be able to fund the partnerships that we’ve formed.”
Swearingen said those partnerships include tobacco cessation programs and CPR classes for schools.
Public Health took a cut from $100 million to $40 million for the next two years, during the budgeting process by state legislators.
Some of the lawmakers in charge of the budget acknowledged the cut, but said health departments will still be able to provide basic services. For many counties the county health department is a vital part of the overall health care in the county.
“I had a feeling that we were not going to get fully funded, as the state Dept. of Health had hoped we would. But, I didn’t realize the cut was gonna be as drastic as it was,” said Swearingen.
But, she said vaccinations, health inspections and other programs will continue.
She does not expect layoffs.
“We have been good stewards with our finances in the past and have some residual funds still in our accounts. So, we will probably will focus some of those funds toward our programming,” she said.
Swearingen also said the department, like many others, will be looking for grants to help make up for some of what the state is not providing.