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Jane Greene, CEO of Cardinal Center, presented the Healthy Families program to the Kosciusko County Council Thursday.
Healthy Families is a program that tries to promote positive child development in early infancy. Upon referral from Kosciusko Community Hospital, a family can be tagged as being in need of the program.
The goals of the program are to make sure that families under stress receive the appropriate health, education and social services they require. It also encourages and helps develop family strengths and self-sufficiency, Greene said.
The funding for the program will come from a $100,000 grant written by Cardinal Center Inc. The grant, if approved, would require matching funds from the county. Those funds, provided by Peggy Shively of the Child Protection Office, will come from the welfare department.
Healthy Families was proposed to the council last month but no action was requested. This time Greene asked for a commitment to approve, pending the grant's approval.
Councilman Harold Jones said he was against the program during its first proposal but after doing some research on the amount of child abuse and infant neglect he supports it strongly.
In other council business:
• Kay Amsden, of the animal shelter, and Sheriff Al Rovenstine requested $20,000 to replace a truck that was damaged a few months ago. The request was approved by the council.
• Rovenstine was approved for an additional $30,000 to take care of inmates' health needs.
• Dick Kemper, Kosciusko County surveyor, was approved for a loan from the council for $100,000 for drain reconstruction. The loan will be repaid to the county in either July or August.
• Jon Cupp, of the Health Department, requested an increase in the part-time care coordinator's position. The increase will change the part-time position into a full-time position. All salary and benefits will be covered by grant money and Medicaid reimbursement.
