The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) announced on Jan. 3 that local health departments have received enhanced funding for the first time as part of the Health First Indiana (HFI) initiative. 

HFI is a historic investment in public health made possible by legislation passed in 2023, with 86 counties -- serving nearly 96% of Hoosiers – opting to receive $75 million in funding. All counties except Crawford, Fountain, Harrison, Johnson, Wells and Whitley accepted funding.

The funding seeks to tackle Indiana’s chronically poor health rankings at the local level, providing counties with data on their health issues and giving health departments resources to address their most pressing local needs, in partnership with local elected officials, hospitals, clinics and schools. An additional $150 million will be distributed next year.

About 78% of the funding will support preventive and health outcome-related activities. A key component of HFI is that local health departments determine how the funding is spent, as they know best how to improve the health of Hoosiers living in their communities, according to IDOH.

“The work begun in 2021 with the formation of the Governor’s Public Health Commission, the support for the passage of SEA 4 and the overwhelming county-level participation in Health First Indiana has brought us to this moment,” Indiana Health Commissioner Lindsay Weaver, MD, said. “As I have visited communities across the state, it is clear they are poised to address the most pressing health challenges they face through partnerships within those communities.”

The law establishing HFI also calls for implementing the Public Health Commission’s recommendation to strengthen Indiana’s trauma care network. A state trauma commission will award grants to upgrade hospitals to handle trauma patients in areas where the nearest trauma-care hospital is now more than 45 minutes away.

HFI requires participating counties to chip in a 20% local match for basic health services. 

More information about HFI, including a map of participating counties, a list of core public health services, and a breakdown of funding amounts by county can be found at healthfirstindiana.in.gov.

Additional resources

Read the full IDOH press release here.

Dr. Weaver discussed HFI on ISMA’s “The Clinic” podcast, which can be accessed here.