MONROE CO. – The Monroe County Health Department is preparing to take on a new set of responsibilities after IU Health announced it will terminate its 60-year contract to provide key public health services. The contract is set to expire in December 2025, leaving the department to find an alternative way to fulfill its legal obligation to provide services such as vaccinations, communicable disease testing, and contact tracing.
At a recent Monroe County Board of Health meeting, Health Administrator Lori Kelley briefed the board on her proposed solution, which included a request for one new staff position and revisions to the job descriptions of two existing roles. This personnel request is on the agenda for the county council’s upcoming meeting on Tuesday, September 23.
The value of the current IU Health contract is $228,860. According to Kelley, the plan is to transfer this money from the services budget to a personnel line to cover the costs of the new nursing services in 2026. The new team would operate out of the county health building at 7th Street and College Avenue, in the space previously occupied by the Futures Family Planning clinic.
The county council, which is currently facing a significant budget deficit, is considering a hiring freeze, which could complicate the department’s request. Council President Jennifer Crossley stated that the decision to hire new staff would require a “full council discussion.”
Meanwhile, one council liaison, David Henry, has suggested that the department could consider finding another vendor to provide the services, given that using a contractor is an option under state law.
