The Health First Indiana initiative, a public health initiative launched in 2023 by the state of Indiana, has seen all 92 counties opt-in for its second year. In January 2025, the state is set to distribute $150 million to local health departments as part of this initiative. This marks a significant increase compared to the $7 million shared annually by counties before the expansion of public health funding.
The initiative was created in response to legislation that revamped the state’s public health system. Elected county officials were given the authority to decide whether to accept funding under the initiative to provide additional core public health services. In 2024, all but six local health departments received $75 million. This marked a significant increase compared to the annual $7 million shared by counties before the expansion of public health funding.
In 2025, six counties – Crawford, Fountain, Harrison, Johnson, Wells, and Whitley – will be joining the Health First Indiana initiative. Governor Eric Holcomb expressed gratitude for their full participation, emphasizing that this investment will contribute to improving the health of Hoosiers. The initiative allows counties to allocate at least 60% of the funding towards core preventative services like immunizations, chronic disease prevention, and maternal and child health. The Indiana Department of Health highlighted the importance of local health departments having autonomy over how they utilize the funding based on their communities’ specific needs.
Individuals can visit the state’s Health First Indiana website for more information on each county’s allocation and how they are utilizing it for their community’s needs. Abigail from IPB’s healthcare reporting team can be contacted at [aruhman@wboi.org](mailto:aruhman@wboi.org) for further inquiries about this collaborative effort aimed at enhancing public health services across Indiana and ushering in a new era of accessible healthcare strategies for all Hoosiers