COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency Board of Health gave Area Agency on Aging Coordinator Laura Sutter permission Thursday to ask Commissioners in Branch and St. Joseph Counties to increase their appropriations by 20 percent in Fiscal Year 2019.
This would bring Branch County’s annual appropriation to the agency to over $15,000, while the annual contribution from St. Joseph County would be over $20,000.
The annual appropriations had stayed the same since 2010.
The additional funds are needed because the 3-A says there has been an increase in the demand for the Community Living Program. The program utilizes two part time Social Workers and a full time nurse. The 3-A says staff members drive over 1,000 square miles to serve over 110 participants each year.
They also point out the population of older adults has gone up four percent over the past five years but the overall population has decreased. In addition, health care insurance costs have gone up.
