County approves job descriptions for Mobile Integrated Health program; temporizes jail mental-health role while contractor fills vacancy

The Morgan County commissioners approved two job descriptions for a Mobile Integrated Health program and heard that the county received a $40,000 grant from the Department of Homeland Security to help equip and field a vehicle for the program. Presenter Brent described the program's goal as reducing unnecessary ambulance transports by sending part-time clinicians or EMTs/RNs to provide in-home care coordination, medication delivery and fall-safety work.

Brent said the grant money "for equipment and vehicle" has already been used to obtain a vehicle, and that the program would hire part-time paramedics, EMTs or an RN as employees paid at a part-time paramedic/EMT pay scale already budgeted in 2026. He said similar programs operate in Bloomington, Lawrence and Carmel and that the county hopes to reallocate assets in future decisions about ambulance placement and staffing.

Separately, the sheriff told commissioners that a full-time jail mental-health professional accepted a new job elsewhere and will transition to a short-term part-time role while the county's contractor, CCC, recruits a permanent replacement; the temporary arrangement will pay an hourly rate without county benefits. The council approved an amendment to the salary ordinance to allow that change by voice vote.

Why it matters: The Mobile Integrated Health program aims to reduce 911/ambulance burden and connect vulnerable residents with follow-up care, while the temporary mental-health staffing change maintains coverage for inmates until CCC supplies a permanent hire.

Next steps: County staff said CCC expects to place a replacement in roughly one to two weeks and will continue to onboard part-time Mobile Integrated Health staff from budgeted PRN funds.