Summit County approves moving health department prevention coordinator to full‑time

The Summit County Council approved an amendment to the county’s chart of positions to convert a health‑department prevention coordinator from a 0.75 FTE role to a full 1.0 FTE.

Health‑department staff said the additional hours will boost prevention services and that they had coordinated with county finance and the behavioral health executive committee. Staff explained the roughly $18,000 shortfall for salary and benefits is expected to be covered by new state opioid funding recently awarded to the county (the Office of Substance Use and Mental Health provided an initial $100,000 and the department has requested an additional $60,000). Council members noted that future cost‑of‑living adjustments and merit increases would be a county obligation and that continued state funding cannot be assumed indefinitely.

A council member moved to approve the change as presented in the packet; another council member seconded, and the motion passed by voice vote. Meeting minutes record the action as approved and staff said they will proceed with the job‑classification change and necessary HR updates.

The council and staff described the move as part of a broader transition of prevention resources to county oversight and an attempt to maximize recently secured opioid‑response funds.