Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Immunizations in 1999 were up compared to 1998, according to the Kosciusko County Health Department annual report.
The report was discussed at the health board's Wednesday meeting.
In 1998, there were 4,100 children's visits to the clinic. The number of vaccines actually administered was 13,874. Those numbers rose to 5,531 and 18,039, respectively, in 1999. Tuberculosis screenings and follow-ups rose from 29 to 58, while home visits fell from 191 to 149.
"The clinic has really grown," said County Health Officer Dr. William Remington.
There were fewer new clients in 1999 for the Maternal and Child Health Care Coordination Project than in 1998, from 187 to 174. A majority of the new clients were between the ages of 18 and 39, while only 23 were ages 13 to 17.
The annual report is required by the Indiana State Department of Health.
In other business:
• Health Department Administrator and Chief Environmental Scientist Bob Weaver reported the deputy administrator position still needs to be filled.
• Grant applications for local health maintenance and for children with special health care needs are completed. The health department is still working on the maternal-child health grant application.
• Remington said the immunization clinic and the Well Child Clinic have applied for an extension on their lease with Quorum. They are requesting funding from the K21 Foundation to help pay for the lease. He said they should know in a couple of months where they stand with the lease and funding.
• "It's too early to know," Remington said, whether the health department may receive some of the state's tobacco settlement funds. He said they should see some of those funds at the local level, but "there are a lot of people going for those funds. It looks like there's money reserved for local health departments."
• The health department will soon have their own Web site up and running, Weaver said.
"I have to give a lot of credit to Tara Still," he said. "She's our computer expert."
The site will eventually include information on vital records, well and septic programs, food programs, pools, complaints, immunizations, beaches, streams and other health department programs.
"There's just a lot of possibilities with this and I think that's a good thing," Weaver said.
Board president Wymond B. Wilson, M.D., said, "I suspect there's a lot of people who would do that who wouldn't come to the office."
• The next health board meeting will be June 14 at 7 p.m. in the courthouse.
Board members include Wymond Wilson, Karen Boling, Dennis Woodward, Robert Knudsen, John W. Jones, Thomas E. Howard and Joan Darr.
