The Governor’s Public Health Commission met today at the Indiana State Library to review recommendations surrounding funding, childhood and adolescent health services, and emergency preparedness as it continues its work on a final report for submission to Governor Eric J. Holcomb this summer.
“As I think about the conversations we’ve had over the past nine months, it’s clear that the long-term success and economic stability of our state depend on a strong public health system. And that starts at the local level,” said former state Sen. Luke Kenley, co-chair of the commission. “Since our state’s founding, we have kept government and services close to the citizens, and that’s true of public health, too. This work requires us to bring folks together from different parts of communities, and how we move forward in funding public health will greatly influence our progress in addressing Indiana’s physical and financial health.”
Dr. Judy Monroe, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation and co-chair of the commission, noted that public health is delivered by many different entities and that the recommendations must encompass all touchpoints to ensure that services are available to Hoosiers in the settings that are most convenient for them.
“While local health departments remain the backbone of these efforts, it’s clear that additional help at the state level is needed to support them,” Monroe said. “I am heartened by the discussions to date and believe we are well on our way to ensuring access to services, all-hazards preparedness and sustainable funding.”
Video of today’s meeting will be posted at www.in.gov/gphc.
Governor Holcomb established the 15-member commission in August. In addition to the areas reviewed today, the commission’s work is focusing on governance and infrastructure, workforce, and the use of data and analytics.
More information about the commission, including agendas, presenter slides, resources and other materials, can be found at www.in.gov/gphc. Executive Order 21-21, which established commission, can be found here. A comment form is posted online for the public to provide feedback on any of the commission’s topics of discussion.