Four rural counties in Southeast Kansas are pooling resources in order to make a larger impact on health. By working together, these counties are able to deliver public health services effectively and efficiently.
The Southeast Kansas (SEK) Multi-County Health Department is a collaboration between Allen, Anderson, Bourbon and Woodson Counties. It operates as a single agency, but provides public health services in each county. The arrangement allows the four counties to share one administrator, one accountant and one medical director between the four public health locations. The counties receive many benefits by offering public health services through this sharing arrangement, including efficiencies in administration, increased flexibility for staff members, and cooperation and moral support between counties.
The Kansas Health Institute has prepared a case study about the SEK Multi-County Health Department because it provides a good example of how counties can work together to deliver public health services effectively and efficiently.