Barber County Health Coalition is awarded Grantee of KHF Grant
 

 

Kansas Health Foundation has awarded more than $4.7 million in funding to 18 communities in the state through its Healthy Communities Initiative: Improving Health Equity in Kansas. The program will provide a total of $262,500 per grantee ($75,000 a year for 3 ½ years) to strengthen community coalitions and address social and economic issues that impact health. The health equity focus requires communities to identify a priority population group that may be experiencing negative health outcomes, and create solutions for a healthier community.
 

“We believe all Kansans should be able to make healthy choices where they live, work and play,” said Steve Coen, Kansas Health Foundation president and CEO. “This initiative will allow residents to identify the obstacles and opportunities for better health outcomes. Not only does this improve health for the priority population, but it makes the entire community stronger.”

 

Communities receiving funding from this initiative include:
 

• Barton County Health Department – Barton County

• Central Kansas Community Foundation – Harvey County

• Community Health Council of Wyandotte County – Wyandotte County

• Finney County Community Health Coalition – Finney County

• Friends of Kiowa District Hospital and Manor Foundation – Barber County

• Great Plains Health Alliance –a regional effort serving Cheyenne, Rawlins, Decatur and Sheridan counties

• Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas – Crawford County

• Kearny County Hospital – Kearny County

• Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department – Douglas County

• Mitchell County Regional Medical Foundation – North Central Kansas Regional Collaborative serving Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Republic and Smith Counties

• Northwest Kansas Council on Substance Abuse, Inc. – a regional effort serving Thomas, Sherman, Wallace and Logan counties

• Reno County Health Department – Reno County

• Riley County Health Department – Riley County

• Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital – Butler County

• Thrive Allen County – Allen County

• Tri-Agency Intervention, Inc. – Liberal Area Coalition for Families – Seward County

• United Community Services of Johnson County – Johnson County

• Wichita YMCA – Sedgwick County
   

The Friends of Kiowa District Hospital and Manor Foundation (FRIENDS) partnered with Kiowa District Healthcare (KDH), Barber County Health Department (BCHD), Medicine Lodge Memorial Hospital (MLMH) and Medicine Lodge Community Health Foundation (MLCHF) in creating the Barber County Health Coalition.  This coalition initially united in the fall of 2016 to collectively sponsor the Barber County Community Health Needs Assessment that was completed in March 2017.  Because of that assessment, the next step is creating a strategic plan for identification and solutions of health equity issues in Barber County.
 

The Coalition worked over the next month to apply for the Kansas Health Foundation Grant. The grant project title is “Barber County Healthy Community Initiative to Improve Health Equity”. The first year is a “planning” year.  First year funds of $75,000 will be utilized between July 1st, 2017 and June 30th, 2018. In the first year, the Barber County Coalition will be expected to hire a project manager, obtain program equipment, and attend planning and training education provided by Kansas State University Research and Education.  The goal is to identify the health inequity our community would like to address and work in partnership with the people directly affected by that issue in the development of solutions.  As a result of this planning, an action plan will be submitted on May 1, 2018.
 

The Kanas Health Foundation is a philanthropy dedicated to improving the health of all Kansans.  For more information about the Kansas Health Foundation, visit www.kansashealth.org.”