EXPLAINING HEALTH DEPARTMENT FUNDING … Kim Cupp, Health Commissioner of Fulton County, went over the wide range of health services that the county’s health department provides for Archbold Rotarians at Friday’s meeting. She also explained how the department is funded, including two, one-half mill property taxes. One of those property taxes is up for renewal and increase on this fall’s ballot. The proposed millage would be for six-tenths of a mill and collected for 10 years. The program was arranged by Dale Kern. (PHOTO PROVIDED)
Fulton County health commissioner Kim Cupp asked Rotarians to identify all of the health, wellness and community health education programs that they were aware of at Friday’s Rotary meeting.
As Rotarians mentioned programs, Cupp then explained a little about each one.
In addition to administering all types of vaccinations, the department is also responsible for inspecting all commercial and community kitchens that prepare and sell food, including restaurants, schools and nursing homes as well as issuing permits for food vendors.
They also test public pools, review plans for commercial food kitchens and issue permits for rural septic systems as well as the full range of rural water systems (such as wells of all types and pond water systems).
The health department is responsible for issuing birth and death certificates, monitoring public health risks, reporting on communicable diseases and providing at home COVID test kits.
Health department nurses can answer health and illness questions for persons who do not have a primary care physician and the department coordinates health care professionals who provide a free health clinic.
The health department is involved with a number of programs that help mothers and their infants and young children thrive, including Help Me Grow and WIC, which is for income eligible women, their infants and young children, as well as reproductive health and wellness programs.
A number of community health education programs are offered by the health department, which is also responsible for conducting periodic comprehensive county health needs assessments.
They also coordinate substance use prevention and provide Narcan for first responders to use when responding to suspected drug overdoses.
All of these programs and more are funded by five revenue streams. In 2021, grants comprised 47 percent of the department’s budget or roughly $1.9 million, the two property taxes represented 27 percent or $1.05 million, while personal service fees for various permits was 17 percent or $666,000 and environmental permit fees was 9 percent or $338,000.
