Health First St. Joseph County (HFSJC) is our initiative to improve the promotion and protection of public health in our county. HFSJC was created in response to Executive Order 21-21 signed by then-Governor Eric J. Holcomb in August of 2021. This Order charged the Governor’s Public Health Commission with studying the strengths and weaknesses of Indiana's existing public health system and making recommendations for improvement in several areas.
The outcome of the Commission resulted in Senate Enrolled Act 4, and created the “Health First Indiana” (HFI) program. HFI focuses on creating a set of core public health services, provides dedicated funding, and defined measurements for success and progress with the goal of ensuring every Hoosier can achieve optimal health.
Please click the links below to view our HFSJC efforts. Note that the plan is dynamic and will be updated over time.
Also note that the HFI program funds and how these funds are used at the local level may be adjusted over time related to changes in funding amounts received over time. As of this time, related to funding cuts for 2026, we will not be accepting Requests for Proposals (RFP) from prospective partner entities for foreseeable future.