JCHD adding four new positions

Four new grant funded positions were approved for the Jasper County Health Department by the Jasper County Board of Supervisors of Tuesday.

An emergency preparedness grant writer for the department and three part-time Parents as Teachers home visitors positions will look to be filled to serve the citizens of Jasper County.

“Both of these are new positions that are being funded 100 percent by grants,” human resources director Dennis Simon said.

The emergency preparedness grant coordinator position was created for the six county emergency preparedness coalition, which is now called 1B. Because it is a grant position, there are a number of check list items the person must accomplish including building the coalition, bringing partners together and doing exercises and drills for emergency preparedness for the counties.

The initial grant cycle is five years with the county receiving $116,000 to fund the position. Supervisor Doug Cupples questioned if the funding completely covers the position or if there would be any costs for the county.

“We received grant funding up to $116,000 to fund the position covering all salary and benefits,” JCHD Administrator Becky Pryor said.

The position looks to continue work that is already underway by the Jasper County Emergency Preparedness Coalition.

“We saw the opportunity with the partnerships and the momentum that was created from our original single county coalition and saw it an opportunity to continue to enhance what the citizens of Jasper County are getting,” emergency management program coordinator Josh Harding said. “We would also be setting the standard for our partner counties that we would potentially call on if in need.”

Also added to the health department are three part-time Parent as Teachers Home Visitors positions. Estimated at about 20 hours per week, the positions will work with families across the county with the overall goal of preventing child abuse.

“It’s (funded by) the Jasper, Poweshiek, Marion County grant for prevention of child abuse. It is currently a grant received through Parents as Teachers in Jasper County, which is a program Jackie Sparks currently runs,” Pryor said. “She is retiring, so the funds will just be flipped over to Jasper County Health Department. They wanted it to go to a public health agency and currently Marion County will hold that grant for it and distribute funds back to Jasper County.”

In other business:

Devin Herndon was approved for a part-time jailer position at the Jasper County Jail. His pay rate is $18.10 per hour with a start date of Sept. 5.

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