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4. How does your program differ from similar ones provided in the community? How do the programs complement those off ed by other agencies. ounty health department is the only agency charged by Florida Statute with control of communicable disease, the provision and regulation of environmental health services, and primary care, primarily to those who are uninsured or underinsured. We are responsible for protecting the public health of the community. By Florida Statute 154.01, county health departments operate in partnership with the county. This relationship is solidified each year in the state and county contract, signed by both agencies. We are currently undertaking our second PACE -EH project in Gifford. We are in the data collection stage with surveys and are looking forward to working with Gifford residents on their identified community improvements. In addition, we are hoping to expand our outreach and medical services to our county's homeless population in the coming year. As we transition out of primary care, the health department maintains core health department services such as immunizations, family planning, and communicable disease control. This includes sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS, and Tuberculosis treatment. We will continue all our community health improvement activities including PACE - EH. In addition, Environmental Health, School Health, Epidemiology, Vital Statistics, Preparedness, WIC, We Care, and Health Education and promotion all are important services to the residents of Indian River County. 5. Please describe the staffing requirements of these programs. Be specific in indicating the number of paid professional positions and paid support staff positions. Communicable Disease -20.83 FTE Primary Care -28.01 FTE Environmental Health -13.02 FTE* *Further information on breakdown of programs within these categories is included with this request. 6. Do these programs utilize volunteers? If yes, please briefly describe. iprt of our primary care program, we have partnered with the Indian River County Medical Society for the We Care p m. We Care provides limited access to specialty care through volunteer physicians who receive sovereign immunity for t ose patients they see under the program. Patients are referred through the health department or Treasure Coast Community Health Center. The patients must meet income qualification for charity care through Indian River Medical Center. We Care Coordinators then arrange for services through the program. Referral to the program does not guarantee services, and emergency care is not provided. As the patients are dependant on the generosity of volunteers, and services are entirely donated, there are often long intervals between referrals and care provided. The We Care volunteer physician program provided $1,257,504 worth of services to patients referred in 2018, a small increase over 2017. A second nurse coordinator was hired in the beginning of 2015, and we hired a physician in March of 2016. We Care services will continue to be provided at Gifford Health Center. The We Care Foundation exists to support the patients within the We Care program. The Hospital District provides program and per visit funding for this program. • 27