The Fishers Fire Dept. recently received a $250,000 grant from the Indiana Dept. of Health through its Indiana Health Issues and Challenges Grant.
According to the IDH, grant recipients must use the funds to develop services to address issues such as tobacco use, food insecurity/obesity, lead exposure, hepatitis C, chronic disease such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma and cancer, and public health prevention programs.
Funds from the grant will be used to hire a licensed clinical social worker who will work with the FFD’s We Care Community Paramedicine program and the Fishers Health Dept. to provide temporary counseling and mental health care.
According to the FFD, the licensed clinical social worker will work with multiple groups and individuals across Fishers that are involved in health care. These include community paramedics, public health nurses and a community risk reduction specialist.
“The Fishers Health Department and Fire and Emergency Services partnership, through the support of this grant funding, will serve to fill a gap in care between emergency response and preventative care,” Fishers Public Health Director Monica Heltz stated.
More than 145 organizations were granted funds this year.
“Priority was given to applicants that demonstrated high need and high impact in their grant proposals,” a press release states.
The FFD has served the community of Fishers since 1955 and employs more than 130 full-time personnel.
More on the Health Issues and Challenges Grant can be found at in.gov/health/grant-opportunities/healthissuesandchallengesgrant/. For more on the FFD, visit fishers.in.us/219/Fishers-Fire-Department/.
