Indiana Department of Health and Vanderburgh County Health Department provide free testing and treatment in the community through the holidays

EVANSVILLE – The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) and the Vanderburgh County Health Department (VCHD) continue to respond to an outbreak of syphilis near Evansville. Health officials are providing access to free testing and treatment to individuals in the community, especially those who are most at risk for infection. Since Nov. 16, outbreak response efforts have included community outreach to more than 2,700 homes and businesses to provide syphilis education and resources and testing of almost 1,000 individuals for syphilis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the field, on mobile units, and at the VCHD. 

Over the holidays, the VCHD will continue to offer testing for syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis C and treatment for syphilis at no cost for patients and they’re exposed sexual or needle-sharing partners at the VCHD Specialty HIV/STD Clinic, 420 Mulberry St., Evansville. The clinic’s hours of operation will be posted on its website, as well as on its Facebook page. The clinic will be closed Friday, December 24^th, Monday, Dec. 27, Friday, December 31, and Monday, Jan. 3, in observance of the holidays.

“We have been fortunate to have some great community partners step up during response efforts and open their doors to allow a space for community members to be tested and treated for syphilis and HIV during a very critical point in the outbreak,” said Jeremy Turner, director of the IDOH Division of HIV/STD/Viral Hepatitis. “A huge thank you to organizations including Matthew 25, AIDS Resource Group, Evansville Rescue Mission, Aurora, Ozanam Family Shelter, United Caring Services and the Vanderburgh County Jail.  We could not have conducted such successful testing events without your support!”

Community canvassing and outreach testing will resume Monday, Jan. 10. Updates to locations of mobile units and other outreach testing events where free syphilis testing and treatment will be offered will continue to be posted on the VCHD’s Facebook page.

AG Rokita Takes Action By Helping Lead A 24-State Coalition

Attorney General Todd Rokita today helped lead a lawsuit with 23 other states against the Biden administration over unlawful mask and vaccine mandates applying to all preschool programs funded by the federal Head Start program.

The masking requirement applies to children as young as 2 years old. The COVID-19 vaccine requirement applies to staff and volunteers.

“This mandate is absolute lunacy,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Forcing masks on 2-year-olds and expecting them to be capable of complying with such an order is absurd. Unfortunately, it’s also exactly the sort of edict we’ve come to expect from leftist demagogues in places of power.”

Enacting it as a rule from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Biden administration bypassed standard notice-and-comment procedures in order to foist its preschool mandate onto the nation.

Not only is this latest mandate unlawful and draconian, Attorney General Rokita said, but it’s also completely impracticable.

“Neither the leftist leaders nor their bureaucrats seem to notice nor care that their administration’s first three vaccine mandates drew sharp rebukes from Americans nationwide and even federal court orders to halt their enforcement,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Rather than learn any lessons, they have now issued this fourth mandate, which might be the most ridiculous yet.”

As stated in the lawsuit, even the World Health Organization has concluded that “based on the safety and overall interest of the child and the capacity to appropriately use a mask,” “children aged 5 years and under should not be required to wear masks.”

Earlier this fall, Attorney General Rokita also filed lawsuits against the Biden administration’s first three mandates — an executive order applying to federal contractors; an OSHA rule applying to private employers with 100 or more employees; and a U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services rule applying to health care facilities receiving federal funds.

“Hoosiers, in particular, will not passively accept the trampling of our liberties,” Attorney General Rokita said. “That’s just not how we are wired. So just as with the first three mandates, we are fighting tooth and nail to protect Hoosiers’ individual rights.”

Head Start is a federal grant program geared to helping infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children from low-income families prepare for the K-12 school experience. Head Start programs are available at no cost to children ages birth to 5.

By forcing vaccinations on staff members (including volunteers) and masks on everyone age 2 and up, with few exceptions, this mandate undoubtedly would prompt many staff members to leave their jobs and result in program closures or shrinkage. Such effects would inflict direct harm on states such as Indiana and run counter to the expressed goals of the Head Start program.

The 24-state complaint against the Biden administration, which is led by Louisiana, is attached, along with a memorandum in support of a preliminary injunction.

Holiday Season Delivers Great News For Hoosier Taxpayers

by Tim O’Brien

State Representative

Christmas is here and it’s an exciting time to be with loved ones and enjoy holiday traditions. December also brought great news for Hoosier taxpayers.

More than 4 million Hoosiers will receive a $125 refund after they file their 2021 taxes because the state’s excess reserves triggered an automatic taxpayer refund. In Indiana, state reserve balances in excess of 12.5% of the next year’s budget is required to be split with half dedicated to pay down pension obligations and the other half given back to taxpayers. About $545 million will go to taxpayers and another $545 million toward pension liabilities.

The financial future continues to look bright for Hoosiers. Recently, the state’s revenue forecast revealed Indiana is expected to collect about $3.3 billion more in revenue over the next two years than what was originally projected. Total reserves could exceed $5 billion at the end of fiscal year 2022.

We now find ourselves in the position to consider responsible tax cuts this legislative session, while continuing to fund critical services and maintain healthy reserves. This would truly be a gift for Indiana’s economic future.

Indiana continues to invest in its communities as well. Recently, the state awarded $50 million to Gibson, Posey, Vanderburgh and Warrick counties as part of a new, innovative state grant aimed at increasing quality of life and attracting top talent. This is a great opportunity for our area to work together and invest in the people and businesses that already call Indiana home, while also planning for growth.

This past year was full of victories for Hoosier taxpayers and I expect 2022 to be great as well. If you would like to share feedback on upcoming legislation, feel free to reach out to me at h78@iga.in.gov or 317-232-9815.