Ms. Butterfield, director of the Rutherford County Health Department, updated the Health & Education Committee on public‑health programs and community outreach.

She reported that combined women's and men's health primary care visit types increased nearly 50 percent in September compared with the prior year and that diabetes outreach and triage contacts have increased as the department expands education and follow‑up for existing patients. "We hook them up with a lot of patient assistance programs," Butterfield said, noting the health department does not fully supply all diabetes consumables but connects people with community resources and assistance programs.

On the department's recent "fight flu" day, staff vaccinated 182 people across three sites (Murfreesboro Health Department, Smyrna Health Department and an on‑site clinic at Westbrook Towers) and handed out 193 coats and additional sweatshirts to families in need.

The committee also heard a brief update on the Safe Baby Court reunification program held in Judge Travis Lamplis's courtroom, described as an 18‑month program for parents who lost custody for reasons such as substance use; participants who meet program requirements can have custody restored. Commissioner McMurray described the graduations as "moving."

Other administrative items included a discussion about Community Care board minutes and whether they should be routed to Property Management; staff said Community Care operates independently, that the county is landlord for the facility and that any financial assistance in the past had been voluntary, not an ongoing county liability.

What happens next: The health department will continue outreach programs and provide statewide gun‑violence data to the committee on request; staff also flagged ongoing coordination on coat drives, vaccination clinics and diabetes patient connections to assistance programs.