As we reflect on the accomplishments of the 2024–2025 fiscal year, we are proud of the meaningful progress made toward strengthening access to care and improving health outcomes for residents of Indian River County. Through disciplined stewardship of public resources, strong community partnerships, and a continued focus on measurable impact, the District advanced initiatives that address both immediate healthcare needs and long-term system sustainability. During the year, the District funded 60 programs and services delivered by 20 community partners.

A central theme of the past year has been aligning investments with data, accountability, and evolving community needs. Building on prior transparency efforts, the District continued to refine its performance measurement framework, using community-level data, partner reporting, and resident feedback to guide funding decisions and evaluate outcomes. These tools allow the District to better understand what is working, where gaps remain, and how limited taxpayer dollars can be deployed for the greatest impact.

Ensuring continued access to local maternity services emerged as a critical priority during the year. As Indian River County’s sole provider of labor and delivery services, Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital plays an essential role in serving expectant mothers and families across our community. Through a countywide resident survey, 92% of respondents expressed that maintaining local labor and delivery services is essential, underscoring the importance of this care to families across Indian River County. In response to financial pressures and broader challenges facing maternity care nationwide, the District took a leadership role in convening stakeholders, engaging residents, and supporting efforts aimed at sustaining and strengthening these services locally, advancing short-term stability while working toward a long-term, sustainable solution.

Access to primary care, dental services, and behavioral health remained a core focus of District investment. During FY 2024–2025, the District invested approximately $5 million to expand access to these essential services for uninsured and underinsured residents. These investments support earlier access to care, reduce reliance on emergency services, and improve long-term health outcomes for individuals and families.

In addition to expanding services, the District continued to support the growth and stability of the local healthcare workforce, recognizing that access to care depends on having providers available to meet community needs. Over the past fiscal year, the number of qualifying primary care providers increased by a net total of six, representing a 15.8% gain, while qualifying mental health providers increased by a net total of ten, a 16.7% gain. These increases reflect the impact of targeted District investments and partnerships aimed at strengthening provider capacity in high-need areas.

A growing emphasis during the fiscal year was the District’s commitment to preventive care and upstream interventions – shifting focus from reactive sick care toward strategies that improve long-term health outcomes and reduce avoidable utilization. Behavioral health remained a significant and deliberate area of investment within this framework. In FY 2024–2025, approximately 20% of the District’s program budget was dedicated to mental health and substance use disorder services, reflecting both rising demand and the District’s recognition that untreated behavioral health conditions often drive downstream medical, social, and public safety costs.

In parallel, the District continued to prioritize prevention efforts aimed at reducing the prevalence and impact of chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, conditions that are highly correlated with avoidable hospitalizations, emergency department use, and long-term healthcare costs. By supporting community-based programs that emphasize early identification, lifestyle interventions, care coordination, and sustained engagement, the District’s investments seek to improve population health while reducing the need for more intensive and costly medical care over time.

Together, these investments support early intervention, crisis response, continuity of care, and access to treatment, reinforcing behavioral health and chronic disease prevention as foundational components of overall community well-being and a more sustainable healthcare system.

Fiscal responsibility and good governance remained foundational to all District actions. The District continued to operate with a strong emphasis on transparency, compliance, and accountability, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are managed prudently and in alignment with the District’s statutory mission. This disciplined approach allows the District to remain flexible and responsive in a healthcare environment marked by rising costs, policy uncertainty, and increasing demand for services.

None of this work would be possible without the dedication of the District’s Trustees and staff, the collaboration of healthcare providers and nonprofit partners, and the engagement of the residents we serve. We are grateful for the shared commitment to improving health across Indian River County.

As we look ahead, the District remains focused on its mission to improve the health of Indian River County residents, through thoughtful investments, strong partnerships, and data-informed decision-making that deliver lasting value to the community.