The Fresno County Department of Public Health is expanding.

The Fresno County Department of Public Health has had a busy year during the pandemic, and increased community outreach has spurred growth in the department. 

At the Fresno County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday, a motion passed unanimously for Fresno County to add one more division manager to head up an expanded Office of Health Policy and Wellness to become its own division. Creating the new division is due to growth in partnerships with schools, community-based organizations and community entities throughout 2020. 

Turning the office into its own division will allow the health department to become more proactive in building a healthier community, the staff report said. 

David Luchnini, interim director of public health, said the focus is on managing chronic diseases, building healthy neighborhoods and aligning with hospital needs. 

Along with adding a manager to head up the division, the county will add a senior staff analyst to oversee the administration of lab operations, including invoicing, contracts, supply management, equipment, employees, documentation, ordering, grants and software. The health department will also add human resources personnel to assist in the changing demands of the growing department. 

The old lab flooded in 2018, and the new one is expected to be completed this year. The senior analyst position will be responsible for maintaining the new equipment, especially since portions of the lab are federally audited. 

Adding the new positions – division manager, senior staff analyst, staff analyst and an office assistant – will cost an estimated $428,000. The salaries will be funded with federal and state grants. If funding is used up, the positions will be removed, the staff report said.