Public Health, Wellness, & COVID Recovery

Just months into his first term, County Executive Bello took the reins and led us through the greatest health crisis in our lifetime.  When that happened, Adam knew that protecting our community, especially the most vulnerable among us, was critically important.  Now, with a reinforced recognition that a healthy community is one that delivers positive and equitable outcomes for all residents, he is making historic investments in children, seniors, veterans, and anti-poverty initiatives.

As  we continue to successfully navigate our way beyond the pandemic, County Executive Bello has recognized the barriers that many of our residents face in accessing vital services.  To break down those barriers, County Executive Bello has championed a number of innovative approaches, including:

• Committing $7.1M to fund the Community Resource Collaborative over the next five years, bringing wraparound services and neighborhood outreach directly to residents in their communities, removing many barriers those residents face in accessing critical services 
• Increasing spending on veterans services by 36%, committed $1.9M to house homeless veterans, and launched TRYBE Ecotherapy, an innovative program that has reduced PTSD symptoms by 70% for our enrolled veterans.
• Expanding funding for Early Intervention Services, including bilingual services. 
• Established Monroe County’s Improving Addiction Coordination Team (IMPACT) to address the opioid epidemic, launched a 24-hour opioid hotline, and is installing hundreds of public Naloxone distribution sites throughout the county to prevent opioid overdose deaths. 
• Launching the Community Integration Initiative, partnering with trusted community organizations to bring services into neighborhoods, as recommended by the RASE Report.