Butler County residents ‘blessed’ to have three separate health departments, official says.

BUTLER COUNTY — During the past year of the coronavirus pandemic, Butler County Health Commissioner Jennifer Bailer said the county has been “blessed” to have three separate health districts — Hamilton, Middletown and the county as a whole.

That’s a very unusual position for residents of the county. Those departments have been tested like never before in implementing precautionary orders, aiding in testing programs and then playing a role in the huge COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

By accounts of the three health departments’ commissioners and those who work with them, the public-health leaders and their staffs have been working days and nights, all week.

Bailer was busy enough that on March 10, in response to questions for this report, she said: “I am writing this from my phone at the drive-thru clinic at the fairgrounds today. Because I am here today, I will be sorting through emails until late this evening as I do every evening to try to be caught up. The other two HCs (health commissioners) have been, and continue to have 12-15 hour days, including weekends.”

In efforts to sign up older people for coronavirus vaccines, Hamilton city staff across various departments have been spending part of their days and weekends calling people to set appointments for them.

“I can say that I am so appreciative of having two other health commissioners in Butler County and feel that the citizens are so blessed to have three who work hard every day to protect them,” Bailer wrote. “Each of us has an area we are responsible for, and that we kind of specialize in.”

“At the same time, we work together on a number of things,” Bailer said. “Some grants come only one per county and so the Butler County district receives it and shares portions of the money with the others based on population. We take on the

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