This podcast is a visit with Brazos County health district director Santos Navarrette and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

The Brazos County health district is getting ten more employees as part of a first ever CDC grant administered by the state.

Health district director Santos Navarrette says all the new employees will be trained first to deal with the pandemic.

$400,000 dollars will hire three people for what Navarrette says is a health equity partnership to address health disparities among those living in two zip codes...77803 and 77840.

$1.5 million will hire seven people who Navarrette describes as diverse staff members to add and expand some existing clinical services to five days a week.

Navarrette says there is enough room in the current health district building to accommodate the new employees. They will occupy space formerly used by temporary employees providing pandemic response services.

The new positions include a family nurse practitioner, registered nurses, a workforce development coordinator, a biller/coder, administrative support staff, a health equity coordinator, and two community health workers. Positions will be posted the first week of August on the Brazos County website at www.brazoscountytx.gov.

Navarrette's goal to have the new employees working by the day after Labor Day.