Indiana Department of Health awards $35 million to address critical health challenges

The Indiana Department of Health is devoting $35 million in federal money to address some of the state’s most serious health challenges.

The Health Issues and Challenges Program, created in 2021, awarded grants to dozens of organizations covering the state.

Lawmakers created the program to target several specific health issues, including tobacco use, lead exposure, diabetes, asthma and cancer.

Organizations receiving the first round of grants include a mix of public and private groups. That includes many county health departments, hospital systems and nonprofits like United Way, Goodwill and the YMCA.

READ MORE: Governor's Public Health Commission debates funding recommendations, nears final report

Join the conversation and sign up for the Indiana Two-Way. Text "Indiana" to 73224. Your comments and questions in response to our weekly text help us find the answers you need on statewide issues.

This round of funding’s largest share is more than $9.4 million to confront food insecurity and obesity issues. There’s also more than $6.5 million to address hepatitis C. And more than $4 million is devoted to improving community paramedicine, such as ambulance and emergency medical services.

The legislation creating the program, 2021's HEA 1007, also requires the state to track metrics on these health issues, to measure the effectiveness of the efforts to address them.

The money comes from President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.