Mission Statement:
Our mission is to enhance whole-person health and resiliency of Noble County residents by offering all core public health services through the Noble County Health Department in collaboration with state and local health partners.
Summary of Local Goals (2025-2029)
Maternal and Child Health, Tobacco Prevention and Cessation - Reduce the smoking rate during pregnancy in Noble County from 7.0% (2022) to 5.0% (2027)...
Chronic Disease Prevention - Increase the average age of death related to heart disease from 77.0 (2020-2024) to 78.0 (2025-2029)...
Trauma and Injury Prevention - Reduce Noble County hospitalizations due to unintentional falls from 220.7 per 100,000 (2022) to 200.0 per 100,000 (2027)...
Maternal and Child Health - Decrease the number of mothers not receiving prenatal care during the first trimester from 33.3% (2022) to 28.0% (2027)...
Pest and Vector Control and Abatement - Increase local health department vector surveillance and mapping from 0 days (2024) to 15 days (2025)...
Inspection and Testing of Public and Semi-Public Pools - Increase pool inspection rate (bi-annually) from 0% (2024) to 100% (2026)...
Noble County HFI 2027 Funding Application
Application Process: The Noble County Health First Indiana (NC HFI) Committee will review applications in 2027. Please submit your application by the 7th day of each review month (April, July, October). The email provided in the application will receive follow-up information at the end of the review month. *Please email your application to kaitlynn.mckernan@nobleco.gov with the required documents attached.*
Background: Health First Indiana (HFI) is an initiative created by Senate Enrolled Act 4 legislation passed by the 2023 Indiana General Assembly that transforms public health. The legislation provides funding so counties can determine the health needs of their community and implement evidence-based programs focused on prevention. HFI establishes a public health infrastructure through a state and local partnership where services are delivered at the county level. Counties decide whether to opt-in to the new funding to provide core public health services such as trauma and injury prevention, chronic disease prevention, maternal and child health and more.
Noble County Commissioners opted-in July 2023 to the new funding available to local health departments in January 2024. The NCHD is now accepting funding applications for programs and activities addressing core public health service areas (see "Core Public Health Services" section in the application for these core public health service areas). The 2025 focus areas include Chronic Disease Prevention, Trauma and Injury Prevention, Maternal and Child Health paired with Tobacco/Vaping Prevention and Cessation, Pest and Vector Control, Inspection and Testing of Public and Semi-Public Pools.
Legislative Requirements: Legislative changes occurred that affect the usage of HFI dollars in April of 2025. IC 16-46-10-3 (f) requires “funds may only be used for Indiana residents who are lawfully present in the United States,” and IC 16-20-1-12 (c)(1) has been amended to eliminate “Tobacco Prevention and Cessation from the list of core services for which Health First Indiana funds may be spent.”
Contact Kaitlynn McKernan, HFI Coordinator, for more information: 260-636-2191 ext. 8 kaitlynn.mckernan@nobleco.gov
If you are interested in applying for HFI funds, do not hesitate to reach out to the HFI Coordinator.
Contact Information
Health First Indiana Coordinator for Noble County
Kaitlynn McKernan, BS
Telephone: 260-636-2191 ext. 8
Email: kaitlynn.mckernan@nobleco.gov
Learn more about the HFI initiative at the Indiana Department of Health website: https://www.in.gov/healthfirstindiana/