Public Health Systems and Services

The structure, financing and staffing of the public health system each play a crucial role in improving the health status of Kansans. State and local health departments strive to organize and fund themselves in a manner that maximizes their positive impact on community health and well being. KHI researchers examine and evaluate the organization, financing and delivery of public health services across Kansas as a whole and within Kansas communities individually. KHI News Service journalists document developments that affect the public health system. For more information about the kinds of public health programs and issues that are relevant to Kansas, please see the Community Health topic.

Photo by Karrey Britt

Douglas County among few health departments to digitize patient records

1 | HIE-HIT, Public Health

Douglas County is now the fifth in the state to have its health department transition from paper health records to an electronic system. The others are Johnson, Wyandotte, Shawnee and Lyon counties, according to the Kansas Association of Local Health Departments.

Policy and Research

Issue Brief: Impact of the Kansas Indoor Clean Air Act on Restaurants and Bars

0 | Jan. 23, 2013 | Community Health, Public Health Systems and Services, Tobacco

This new issue brief examines whether a statewide smoking ban enacted in 2010 was associated with a change in sales at Kansas restaurants and bars. The Legislature approved the Kansas Indoor Clean Air Act to protect the health of Kansans by reducing their exposure to secondhand smoke in most public places.

Kansas HIA Report: Potential Health Effects of Casino Development in Southeast Kansas

5 | Oct. 23, 2012 | Community Health, Public Health Systems and Services

The Kansas Health Institute recently completed its first health impact assessment, which examined the potential health effects associated with casino development in Southeast Kansas. This new report features findings of the health impact assessment and outlines recommendations to maximize the positive health benefits of a proposed casino and mitigate its potential negative effects on health.

Testimony - Kansas Partnership for Improving Community Health

0 | Jan. 25, 2012 | KHI Legislative Testimony, Public Health Systems and Services

In testimony to a joint meeting of the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee and House Health and Human Services Committee, KHI discusses the Kansas Partnership for Improving Community Health and the new KansasHealthMatters.org website.

Testimony - Vaccine Requirement Exemptions (2012 HB 2094)

0 | Jan. 18, 2012 | Immunizations, KHI Legislative Testimony

In testimony to the House Human Health and Services Committee, KHI discusses vaccine requirement exemptions.

The Private Immunization Delivery System for Children in Kansas

0 | Dec. 23, 2009 | Immunizations

This update to a similar report from 2006 looks at the availability of private primary care clinics in Kansas that offer immunization services to children and identifies ways in which access to these services can be improved.

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News

Brownback says state’s low public health preparedness ranking too harsh

0 | Dec. 21, 2012 | Emergency Preparedness, Public Health

Kansas officials are taking issue with a recent report that ranked the state last in the nation for public health preparedness. The Ready or Not report by the nonprofit Trust for America’s Health, listed Kansas and Montana as the worst performing states in the nation, with each meeting only three out of 10 readiness criteria.

Officials warn drought likely to continue into 2013

0 | Dec. 20, 2012 | Emergency Preparedness, Environment

Communities, businesses and individual Kansans should prepare for the drought that has gripped the state for two years to continue at least into midsummer, officials said at a meeting today with Gov. Sam Brownback.

Kansas gets failing grade for public health preparedness

0 | Dec. 19, 2012 | Emergency Preparedness, Public Health

A new report ranks Kansas dead last for public health preparedness. The Ready or Not report, released Wednesday by the nonprofit Trust for America’s Health, lists Kansas and Montana as the worst performing states in the nation, with each meeting only three out of 10 readiness criteria.

State officials call attention to "cooling centers"

0 | Jul. 14, 2011 | Community Health, Emergency Preparedness

Heat and humidity have state health officials urging Kansans to check on friends and neighbors who lack air conditioning.

Kan-ed considers options with reduced budget

0 | Jun. 27, 2011 | Emergency Preparedness, KDHE

When it was created in 2003, Kan-ed enjoyed wide bipartisan support. Now, however, even some lawmakers who sponsored Kan-ed's creation think it's time to stop funding as Kan-ed officials grapple with making $4 million in cuts.

A New Confederacy

1 | May. 18, 2013 | Commentary

Over the five decades leading to a new millennium, state government in Kansas had assumed a rhythm of reform and advancement. Today it thrums with the drone of demolition.

When Government Worked for Kansas

0 | May. 16, 2013 | Commentary

For many generations, Kansans were governed by experienced, educated and thoughtful people who realized the great difference that government had made in their lives. The people elected to office had known lives before a time of new and noble purpose. They had come through a civil war, a panic, a great depression and two world wars. They saw the need for a government. It could not go away.

House GOP leaders pen letter backing DD supports in KanCare

0 | May. 17, 2013 | Legislature, KanCare

House GOP leaders penned a memo to members of the chamber saying they support including long-term supports for the developmentally disabled in KanCare and rebuking the providers of DD services who oppose the KanCare expansion for "making every effort to undermine the state's ability to improve services to our DD population and address the waiting list for DD services."

The ’80s, Carlin’s Legacy and Beyond

0 | May. 17, 2013 | Commentary

The 1980s and 1990s were the last decades of significant and compelling reform in Kansas. The legislative agenda seemed dominated by Democrat Gov. John Carlin but he could not have seen through reforms without help from Republicans and their leaders.

Kansas drug disposal program collects 6,000 pounds of medications in first year

0 | May. 14, 2013 | Environment

Pharmacist Lori Murdock recently signed up for the medication disposal program run by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, she said, because it's the right thing to do. “It’s a big concern to the public and the general population to say, ‘OK, I can’t just keep flushing this stuff … and I really don’t want to put it in the trash because who knows who can get into it and where is it going,’” Murdock said. “Our population is getting more interested in doing the right things.”

New Medicaid enrollment system remains on track

0 | May. 13, 2013 | Health Reform, Medicaid-CHIP

The building of a new Kansas Medicaid eligibility and enrollment system intended to be interoperable with the new federal health insurance marketplace remains on budget, according to the state's project overseer. But the system's planned connection to the federal insurance exchange could slip behind schedule, if federal officials don't pick up the pace on their end.

Personal Care Attendants: KanCare's unheralded workers

1 | May. 20, 2013 | KanCare, Medicaid-CHIP

Every day a small army of Kansans — officials estimate there are about 16,000 of them — are at work helping some of the state’s neediest cope with the demands of daily life so that they can remain in their own homes rather than nursing homes or state institutions.

A New Confederacy

1 | May. 18, 2013 | Commentary

Over the five decades leading to a new millennium, state government in Kansas had assumed a rhythm of reform and advancement. Today it thrums with the drone of demolition.

Kansas HIA Report: Potential Health Effects of Casino Development in Southeast Kansas

5 | Oct. 23, 2012 | Community Health, Public Health Systems and Services

The Kansas Health Institute recently completed its first health impact assessment, which examined the potential health effects associated with casino development in Southeast Kansas. This new report features findings of the health impact assessment and outlines recommendations to maximize the positive health benefits of a proposed casino and mitigate its potential negative effects on health.

E-cigarettes unregulated until legal status determined

5 | Nov. 01, 2010 | Agencies, Tobacco

Proponents say e-cigarettes deliver only nicotine with none of the hazardous chemicals of traditional cigarettes. The smoke-like vapor emitted is virtually odorless and harmless, they say. But opponents say little is known of e-cigarettes' health effects and until they've been rigorously studied, they should be banned - at least from public spaces.

Governor signs into law stem cell center bill

2 | Apr. 22, 2013 | KU Medical Center

Gov. Sam Brownback signed into law a bill requiring the University of Kansas Medical Center to create a center for conducting non-embryonic stem cell research.

Larned State Hospital nursing director fired

1 | May. 01, 2013 | Workforce, Hospitals, Mental Health

Larned State Hospital has fired its nursing director, but state officials would not comment on why, according to a report published by the Garden City Telegram. The hospital — one of two state-run inpatient facilities for mentally ill adults — has struggled with staffing issues in recent years.

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