Indian River County Hospital District

Impact report

2023

A LETTER FROM

Marybeth Cunningham, Chairman & Frank Isele, Executive Director

As we reflect on the past year’s accomplishments and milestones at the Indian River County Hospital District, we are pleased to share with you a few of the highlights in improving the health and well-being of our community.

Partners in Women’s Health continues to play a pivotal role in providing prenatal care for approximately 88% of annual Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital (CCIRH) births. Our partnership with Healthy Start and CCIRH has reduced our county’s infant mortality rate to a level markedly better than the state average.

In addition, with our support, the Intensive Outpatient Program at the CCIRH Behavioral Health Center expanded services and has added a new Behavioral Health Integration in the Emergency Department program in collaboration with the United Way, John’s Island Service League, and the Community Foundation.

The District’s funding has been instrumental in providing over $4.5 million towards Primary Care Services, Dental Services, Behavioral Health Services, and Preventive Services at Treasure Coast Community Health and Whole Family Health Center.

Recognizing the critical importance of mental health and substance abuse services, the District has dedicated approximately 26% of its program budget to Mental Health and Substance Abuse Programs and Services.

Following a successful Pilot Program with Whole Family Health Center, the District has expanded its support of the GlobeChek program. The addition of a mobile GlobeChek unit ensures equitable access to state-of-the-art eye exams and refraction services for all residents of Indian River County.

In February of 2023, the District was confronted with the cessation of three-year grant funding by the Department of Children and Families for the Indian River County Mental Health Court. Despite this challenge, we remain committed to supporting the program’s vital services, ensuring continued support for the 110 active participants in Mental Health Court.

These achievements underscore our unwavering commitment to enhancing healthcare accessibility, promoting well-being, and addressing the diverse healthcare needs of our community. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated staff, community partners, and residents for their continued support and collaboration.

As we look towards the future, we remain steadfast in our mission “to improve the health of Indian River County residents”.

Marybeth Cunningham

Marybeth Cunningham

Chairmain

Frank Isele

Frank Isele, PT, MBA, FACHE

Executive Director

Our Story, So Far

Formed in 1959 by Florida’s legislature as a special tax district.

Through property tax assessments, we secure funding to guarantee that vital healthcare services and community-based programs are accessible to all residents in our county.

Partner with organizations that provide essential healthcare services to ensure access and affordability for everyone.

Convene healthcare and community-based organizations to assess needs, identify gaps in care and develop solutions.

Our initiatives have fostered integration and collaboration across our county’s healthcare delivery landscape, resulting in improved well-being for our residents.

The Indian River County Hospital District has made significant investments in vital healthcare programs and services, directly impacting tens of thousands of residents and their families.

News

MISSION - VISION - VALUES

As stewards of community health, we go beyond financial support. Our proactive approach involves bringing together healthcare providers and funding partners to establish a collaborative platform. This forum aims to identify and address gaps in the healthcare continuum, going beyond merely recognizing challenges we actively seek and fund innovative solutions. Together, we are shaping a community that thrives on compassion, health, and well-being, cultivating a healthier, happier, and more connected Indian River County.

Ensuring Accessible & Advanced Healthcare

We firmly believe essential healthcare services should be accessible to all. Our efforts ensure every member of our community has equitable access to high-quality healthcare services, regardless of their background or circumstances. We are resolute in our mission to support individuals and families in achieving and maintaining optimal health, making our community healthier and stronger.

Prioritizing Community Health

Indian River County Hospital District understands that a healthy community is not only a reflection of individual well-being but also a crucial element for a sustainable, thriving society. At the heart of our mission is the belief that everyone deserves access to quality healthcare, regardless of socioeconomic factors.

Transparency & Accountability

We maintain transparency in our actions and decisions, ensuring that tax dollars are spent judiciously, effectively, and with utmost accountability to benefit the community. We are governed by seven elected Trustees who steer the direction of our initiatives. By actively seeking and incorporating diverse perspectives, we ensure that our initiatives and actions reflect the collective needs of the residents of Indian River County.

Success Stories

Senior Resource Association

Success Story

At 92, Tillie fell at home and broke her leg in two places. Living alone, she was fortunate a neighbor heard her cries for help. During her recovery, Tillie was a candidate for Senior Resource Association’s Emergency Meals on Wheels’ hot lunch and daily wellness check, designed to promote healing after an accident or illness. Seniors who do not fully recover while receiving emergency meals may continue with home-delivered meals while regaining their strength. Now 93, Tillie still has not recovered from her injury, nearly a year ago. With her mobility severely diminished, she not only counts on her daily Meals on Wheels delivery and wellbeing visit, but also is enrolled in Senior Resources Associations Emergency Alert Response which provides a live connection 24/7 in the event of falls or other health crises.

Thanks to generous funding from Indian River County Hospital District, all three of these essential programs give local seniors peace of mind, enabling them to live at home as long as safely possible. Together, SRA and IRCHD help seniors remain independent and avoid higher levels of care by providing a lifeline of vital services.

Substance Awareness Center

Success Story

A letter written by current member of the Substance Awareness Center:

“The staff expresses sincere interest in every client in the Recovery Assistance Program (RAP) housing which helps make a very difficult time easier and reduces the stress and anxiety level. RAP has provided me with opportunities to connect with my peers, including the weekly house meeting and dinner. I would recommend it to anyone who is struggling with substance use disorders and mental health issues. It provides a lot of treatment and is a long-term program than a typical rehab, offering the chance to step down while still staying connected to staff and peers. They have been very generous to me, including the opportunity to remain in sober living at RAP as long as necessary with the only requirement of willingness to keep working on my recovery. Perhaps most importantly, the staff at all levels show they really care about us through their understanding and ability to connect with each client as an individual. Thank you to everyone at SAC who shows up every day to help us save our lives.”

Babies and Beyond

Success Story

A letter written by current member of the Indian River County Healthy Start Coalition:

“It was Tuesday December 13, 2022 when I found out I was pregnant with baby number two. I felt scared, nervous, and excited. I immediately called my OB/GYN to schedule an appointment.

At 13 weeks, my left leg started swelling and I knew something was off. At every appointment I kept hearing that everything was great, and swelling was a normal part of pregnancy.

At 27 weeks, the swelling became so painful and so bad that they ordered an ultrasound of my left calf. That’s when they found the blood clot. I was immediately placed on a blood thinner and given an iron supplement. In the coming weeks, the swelling continued.

On July 31st I was diagnosed with preeclampsia and the decision was made to hold my blood thinner for 24 hours and deliver at 38 weeks.

Wednesday, August 2nd I gave birth via c section to the most perfect little boy. I was on cloud 9. I felt amazing. After many visits after my son was born, I finally saw a familiar face – Elaine Sanchez walked and offered a RN home visit. I thought to myself – What would it hurt to schedule a visit?

Friday August 11th, Elaine arrived at my house and started her visit. We went through a history and physical, she looked the baby over, weighed him and spent a lot of time asking me how I was and if there was any way that she could support me in this new chapter. I told her “I feel great! Thanks for coming. All is well here!” She took my blood pressure and then notified me that my blood pressure was elevated and she would have to make a phone call to report her reading. She not only made the phone call but she arranged for me to arrive at the emergency room and be taken straight to labor and delivery. Once I arrived it was found my blood pressure was 186/92. I was admitted and treated for severe postpartum preeclampsia.

If it wasn’t for Elaine and her home visit, this could have ended much differently. Maternal mortality is a growing concern in this county, and I wasn’t a statistic because of this program. Elaine was professional, courteous, stayed calm and made sure I was taken care of. Since her visit, she has reached out to me multiple times checking on me and making sure she can’t do anything further to help.

Thank you for having Elaine on your team. She’s such an asset to your program and to Indian River County.”

Our Support

October 1, 2022 - September 30, 2023

  • Camp Haven $13,659
  • Childcare Resources $173,471
  • Cleveland Clinic IRH BH in ED $450,000
  • Cleveland Clinic IRH IOP $228,577
  • Cleveland Clinic Partners In Womens Health $2,491,187
  • Dynamic Life Recovery $50,000
  • GlobeChek $275,716
  • Healthy Start Coalition $445,000
  • Hope For Families Center $42,140
  • Mental Health Association $591,427
  • Mental Health Collaborative $220,000
  • New Horizons or the Treasure Coast $25,227
  • Samaritan Center $22,251
  • Senior Collaborative $22,500
  • Senior Resource Association $443,450
  • Substance Awareness Center $210,966
  • Sunshine Physical Therapy Center $148,461
  • Treasure Coast Community Health $2,999,338
  • Tykes & Teens $452,800
  • UF Psychiatry & Addiction Medicine $57,067
  • Visiting Nurse Association $780,721
  • Whole Family Health Center $729,649

Total Program Funding

$10,873,607

Our Commitment to the future

Ensure essential healthcare needs are affordable and readily accessible to all residents of Indian River County.
Address critical shortages in the field with support and collaboration on recruitment and retention efforts to ensure we have the necessary supply of well-trained, highly skilled healthcare professionals to meet the needs of our growing county.
Utilizing accurate consistent outcome measures to demonstrate the impact of our funding and endeavors.
Increased access to primary care and the promotion of preventive screenings to lower the number of emergency room visits for episodic care.
Expanding access to healthcare through developing the longterm infrastructure to support virtual healthcare delivery systems, acute care at home, and telehealth visits.
Provide more community-based care including home care, more community clinics, and mobile solutions that bring healthcare closer to our residents.
Foster collaboration across organizations to fortify our preparedness to address future challenges.
Forge new partnerships to amplify the impact of our funding and initiatives.

Board of Trustees

MARYBETH CUNNINGHAM

Chairwoman - Seat 1

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MICHAEL KINT

Seat 2

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BARBARA S. BODNAR

Seat 3

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PAUL WESTCOTT

Seat 4

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KAREN DEIGL

Seat 5

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KERRY BARTLETT

Seat 6

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WILLIAM COONEY, MD

Seat 7

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MARYBETH CUNNINGHAM

CHAIRWOMAN - SEAT 1

Marybeth’s professional career encompasses 34 years of working for GM/Delphi in a variety of positions. Starting out as a traffic claims clerk, she worked her way through the organization, with roles in Purchasing, Engineering, and Quality and Reliability. She retired in 2009 as the executive director of Global Operations for the Packard Electric Division of Delphi. In this position, she was responsible for 94 plants in 33 countries. Marybeth has served on the board of directors for numerous non-profits, including Northeast Ohio Adoption Agency; United Way of Warren Ohio, where she served as chairman of the annual campaign for two years; Up with People; Head, Heart and Hands of Indian River Club; Indian River Community Foundation, and the Indian River Mental Health Collaborative. She earned her B.A. in Political Science from Albion College. Marybeth was elected to the Indian River County Hospital District Board of Trustees in 2014, and joined the Board in January 2015. She currently serves as Chair.

 

Term:  1/15-12/18   |   1/19-12/22   |   1/23- 12/24

Origination: Elected 1 OC | Elected  NOC | Elected NOC

Occupation: Retired Executive GM

MICHAEL KINT

SEAT 2

Born and raised in Illinois, Michael was a Theatre and Speech Instructor at Lincoln College when he moved to Indian River County in 1984. He was the Director of Education for the Riverside Theatre for a decade, helping to build the Riverside Children’s Theatre and directing many productions. Michael is well known in the community for his 25 years of service at the United Way of Indian River County, 16 of those years as the CEO. He is very proud of his work with dozens of nonprofit agencies and his commitment to creating and strengthening community collaboratives. Michael was also an Adjunct Faculty member at Barry University for 20 years. He has served on many boards and committees over the years, including: Children’s Services Advisory Committee Needs Assessment, Chair of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program for many years, and he was a founding member of the Mental Health Collaborative, the Senior Collaborative of IRC and the IRC Executive Roundtable. As a Hospital District Trustee he is committed to serving all the citizens of our county. In particular, he hopes to see enhanced availability and affordability for behavioral/mental health for all in need.

 

Term: 1/23- 12/26

Origination: Elected 1 OC

Occupation: Retired CEO United Way

BARBARA S. BODNAR

SEAT 3

Barbara has practiced physical therapy, specializing in orthopedics and sports medicine, in her hometown of Vero Beach since 1981. She was an integral part of the sports medicine team at Vero Beach High School for 35 years. Barbara completed the reserve police academy training, and served with the Vero Beach Police Department from 1982-1989. Her volunteer involvement in the community includes serving on the City of Vero Beach Recreation Committee, Arthritis Association of Indian River County, and the Senior Good Life Games. She and her husband, Michael, enjoy spending their free time traveling in their RV and training their Labradors, Gunner and Chase, in K-9 performance events, including agility and dock jumping. Barbara is a lifelong resident of Indian River County, and received her degree in physical therapy from Chattanooga State College. Barbara was elected to the Indian River County Hospital District Board of Trustees in 2016, and joined the Board in January 2017.

Term:  1/17-12/20   |   1/21-12/24

Origination: Elected 1 OC | Elected 1 OC

Occupation: Physical Therapist

PAUL WESTCOTT

SEAT 4

Paul Westcott has been a Board Certified Workers' Compensation Attorney since 1999. In addition, Paul has earned his certification from the Florida Supreme Court as a Circuit Civil and Family Law Mediator. Receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in both Economics and Political Science at Florida Southern College, he continued his education at Stetson University College of Law. He graduated from Stetson in 1988, having been a published member of the Stetson Law Review. Paul has been a member of the Florida Bar since 1988.  He began his practice in a combined civil litigation and transactional practice before serving as an Assistant State Attorney.  He began his career in Workers' Compensation with Rissman, Weisberg, Barrett, Hurt, Donahue & McClain P.A., where he handled Workers' Compensation cases at the trial and appellate levels.  In 1997, Paul opened the Ft. Pierce office of Hurley, Rogner, Miller, Cox, Waranch & Westcott P.A. handling workers' compensation cases at all levels throughout central and south Florida, while managing the operations of that office.  During his nearly 25 year career in Workers' Compensation, he lectured on a wide range of industry topics.


Term:  1/23-12/26   |   1/21-12/24

Origination: Elected 1 OC 

Occupation: Attorney & Mediator

KAREN DEIGL

SEAT 5

Karen has been President and CEO of Senior Resource Association, where she successfully advocates for older adults and their families, since 2006. In that role, she helps provide activities, education and services benefiting older and disabled adults in Indian River County. In addition, Karen provides oversight of the community mass transit system for residents and visitors of the county. As CEO, Karen is responsible for a $7 million operational annual budget and managing more than 100 employees. She ensures that fiscally sound and responsible solutions are created to provide healthcare and a better quality of life for all Indian River County residents. Karen earned a BS in Health Administration from Florida Atlantic University and an MHA from the University of Florida. She was elected to the Indian River County Hospital District Board of Trustees in 2016, and joined the Board in January 2017.

Term:  1/17-12/20   |   1/21-12/24

Origination: Elected 1 OC | Elected NOC

Occupation: President/CEO

KERRY BARTLETT

SEAT 6

Kerry Bartlett,  of Vero Beach, has more than 30 years experience in philanthropy, including as vice president of the VNA & Hospice Foundation; VNA chief advancement officer from 2001-2007; and executive director of the Indian River Community Foundation from 2008-2014. Kerry is the founder of The Bartlett Company, which focuses on nonprofit and philanthropic consulting. She also is a managing director for Carter, a Vero Beach company that specializes in advancing philanthropy worldwide. Kerry has spent more than 25 years in the nonprofit sector as a fund development professional and has particular expertise in annual funds, major gifts, endowment campaigns and legacy giving. Kerry is also known for creating and implementing effective donor-centered stewardship programs that build, maintain and strengthen nonprofits’ relationships.

Term:  3/21-12/22   |   1/23-12/26

Origination: Appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis
Elected NOC

Occupation: Philanthropic Consultant/Managing Director

WILLIAM COONEY

SEAT 7

William P Cooney MD is an orthopedic surgeon (retired) who has been a resident of Vero Beach since 2004. He practiced orthopedic surgery at Indian River Medical Center from 2006-2015 within the orthopedic practice of Prosports. He served on the IRMC Foundation for four years. Prior to this, he was a Professor of Orthopedics at Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota, Chair of the Division of Hand Surgery and Vice president of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery. He served as the Vice Chairman of the Mayo Clinic Development Department. He has been President of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, Orthopedic Research and Education Foundation, Consultant at Shrine Hospital systems. He was editor in chief of the Journal of Orthopedic Surgery and co-editor of the Journal of Hand Surgery. He held grants in hand and wrist surgery sponsored by National Institute of Health (NIH) and Stryker Orthopedics and has over 250 publications in the field of orthopedic surgery, hand, wrist and elbow surgery and microsurgery- free tissue transfers. Within Indian River County, he has served as Chairman of the Board and President of the Hope for Families Homeless Center, Board of the Indian River Hospital Foundation, We Care and Whole Family Health Center medical practices.

Term:  1/23-12/24

Origination: Elected (2 OC)

Occupation: Retired Surgeon