Jim McLean

Vice President for Public Affairs

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Jim McLean, vice president for public affairs, oversees the KHI News Service and the production and dissemination of KHI publications. He also directs the institute’s media relations. Prior to coming to KHI, McLean had a distinguished career as a journalist, serving as the news director and Statehouse bureau chief for Kansas Public Radio and a managing editor for the Topeka Capital-Journal. During his more than 20 years in Kansas journalism, McLean won numerous awards for journalistic excellence from the Kansas Press Association, regional chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Kansas Association of Broadcasters. In 1997, McLean and two Capital-Journal colleagues received the Burton W. Marvin News Enterprise Award from the University of Kansas William Allen White School of Journalism for a series of stories on the state’s business climate. McLean holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Washburn University.

Work by Jim

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Dental association says new program will increase access in rural areas

But backers of dental practitioner bill say their plan would do more to solve the problem

A new Kansas Dental Association program aims to recruit new dentists to work in the state's "dental deserts."

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Insurance industry whistleblower criticizes Medicaid plan

Author Wendell Potter also defends federal health reform in K.C. speech

Privatizing the Kansas Medicaid program is a potentially disastrous idea, according to a former insurance-industry insider turned health-reform crusader.

State welfare agency works to get handle on fraud and abuse

SRS secretary says problem is bigger than federal audit reveals

A federal audit underestimated the number of Kansans receiving improper food stamp benefits, according to the head of the agency that administers the program.

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Call for unity resonates at Southeast Kansas economic summit

Senators organize effort to improve region's quality of life

What began a few years ago as an attempt to improve lagging health rankings in southeast Kansas has morphed into an effort to transform the region’s long-battered economy.

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Governor launches first of three childhood-poverty forums

Other events planned this week in Wichita and Garden City

Reducing the number of children born to single mothers is the most effective way to combat childhood poverty. That's according to Robert Rector, the Heritage Foundation fellow picked by Gov. Sam Brownback to keynote the first of his administration's three planned meetings this week on the topic of childhood poverty. Rector's remarks angered some in the audience of about 250 people.

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Program to track prescription drug abuse faces funding challenge

Kansas pharmacists and doctors cite early benefits of K-TRACS

Nearly 4,000 doctors and 1,000 drug dispensers in Kansas have signed up for Kansas Tracking and Reporting of Controlled Substances, or K-TRACS.

KDHE spearheading state’s participation in National Rural Health Day

Amid challenges such as aging populations and a shortage of health care providers, the state will mark National Rural Health Day on November 17.

Kansas group hopes to keep CLASS Act on the books

Solvency question prompts HHS to postpone implementation

A long-term care insurance program built into the national health reform law can be fixed and shouldn’t be repealed, according to the head of a group that represents nonprofit nursing homes in Kansas.

Nonprofit expert preaches "Capitalism 2.0"

Robert Egger is pushing for new ways to measure and improve the value of nonprofit work

The founder of the D.C. Central Kitchen came to Topeka to espouse his ideas for measuring and improving the social capital provided by churches, soup kitchens and other nonprofit groups that he said enhance communities and civic character.

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Modernized Medicaid enrollment system up in the air

Governor's decision to reject federal grant puts funding for the project in question

The fate of a new Medicaid enrollment system in the works since 2009 is up in the air until state officials can decide how to replace funding for the project lost due to Gov. Sam Brownback’s recent decision to terminate a $31.5 million federal health reform grant.

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