A ‘verbal bouquet’ to Indiana’s health department | OPINION

A colleague at lunch recently proclaimed that my columns are negative, critical, lacking in affirming values. He didn’t use all those words, but I cut him short.

OK, this week, I’m offering a verbal bouquet to the Indiana State Department of Health. I’m presuming that was the agency identified in a text to me from my IU Health Care Team containing a “Full Screening Form” from SDOH.

Of course, I don’t recognize any IU Health Care Team. I do have a physician who practices at one of the ever-expanding IU Health facilities. From time-to-time he sends me on excursions through the labyrinth of departments, labs, or orifices of that serpentine organization. But I know no team.

The “Full Screening Form” from SDOH came in two sections. First I was asked, “In the past year, have you or any family members you live with been unable to get any of the following when it was really needed?” There were five classes of items indicated: Food, Health care or medication, Housing, Transportation for health care or medication, and Utilities.

I presumed I could check any or all of these. But I selected, “No.” An added option was, “I choose not to answer this question.” 

In the second section I was asked, “In the past year, have you been afraid or felt unsafe due to the following?”  Choices: Partner or ex-partner, Family member or caregiver, Where you live. Once again I answered, “No” and was glad to see, “Choose not to answer.”

I was not able to identify my insecurity driving the bombed-pocked streets of my city.

Here we find our state government expressing concern about our welfare. These are important indicators of well-being and security. Collecting such information, matching with my characteristics which are already on file, and merging those responses into a well-structured, but confidential data base, could provide useful inputs for policy development.

Where did this come from? Is there leftover money from a Biden initiative? Did the Braun administration or the Indiana General Assembly come up with this independently? Is this a state-wide program or just a test exercise to look (excuse the word) progressive?

Whatever the genesis, this is important and noteworthy. Most of us, faced with any of the conditions enumerated, would be hesitant to admit such concerns. But efforts to overcome that reluctance can be beneficial and prevent tragedy. If the data can be used and if useful, are used.

However, if the at-risk population fails to respond, we’re no better off. If the SDOH has no funding to follow-up itself or if local resources are insufficient to do the job, then we’ll know the need and have failed to provide help.

I look forward to the SDOH reporting on the success of this program. If they only notify my doctor of my well-being… I won’t say it. That would be negative.

Mr. Marcus is a research economist formerly with the Kelley School of Business at IU. Contact him at mortonjmarcus@gmail.com. Listen to Morton with John Guy on the podcast Who Gets What? at mortonjohn.libsyn.com