March 29, 2024

Service Coordinator position approved for mental health region

The Jasper County Supervisors approved the creation of a permanent position for a part-time service coordinator for the mental health region on Tuesday.

Following the presentation by Dennis Simon, with human resources, a hiring resolution will establish rate of pay for the position at a later meeting.

“We used to have an admin position for a social worker and we did not replace that when she left,” Jody Eaton, community services director, said. “We have been borrowing staff from other counties and when the administrative team met a couple months ago, we discussed the staffing levels and everyone agreed that we would like to, at this point, hire an additional staff person in Jasper County.”

The position has been approved by the region and will be funded by the mental health fund. At this time it is a part-time position but as case-loads increase, it could turn into a full-time position. Unlike the previous administrative position, the new service coordinator will not be a director and will be supervised by Eaton and the service coordinator director.

In other business, the board approved Mike Balmer to sit on the Jasper County Board of Health after he was appointed to the position at the Nov. 10 meeting.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com.