ELWOOD — In late March, the Madison County Well being Division will open an workplace in Elwood.
The workplace shall be positioned inside a vacant workplace constructing between the town constructing and Ascension St. Vincent Mercy. It will likely be open two days every week.
Administrator Stephenie Mellinger mentioned residents should drive 30 minutes to entry well being division providers.
“It is an especially underserved neighborhood there (in Elwood),” Mellinger instructed the Madison County Board of Well being throughout Wednesday’s assembly.
“There are quite a lot of substance use issues, quite a lot of teen pregnancies, STDs, infectious illnesses… It is time for us to have a presence up there that’s mounted as an alternative of the cellular unit.”
All division providers besides environmental providers shall be provided on the Elwood workplace, Mellinger beforehand mentioned. These providers shall be out there by phone appointment.
Ascension St. Vincent Mercy will hire the workplace area and canopy upkeep and utility prices.
Precisely how a lot the division pays is unknown as negotiations are ongoing.
Nonetheless, Mellinger was assured it will be lower than the budgeted quantity.
The Madison County Council lately allotted $1.5 million in state-issued well being funding.
Roughly $150,000 shall be used for “capital bills,” which incorporates the Elwood workplace.