Opinion: Health department is one of the county's most valuable services

By Roger Sims, rsims@linncountyjournal.com

If anything, Linn County Commission Chair Jim Johnson has been consistent in his wish to replace the current Linn County Health Department (LCHD). In a few words, he wants to replace it with an organization that would provide far fewer services to county residents.

The commissioner has been pushing to reinstate the Southeast Kansas Multicounty Health Department (SEKMCHD), which currently serves Allen, Anderson, Bourbon and Woodson counties. Linn and Anderson counties were the two counties that created SEKMCHD, but nearly 20 years ago, Linn County left the organization to create its own health department.

In recent department history, the Linn County organization flourished under the direction of former director Tisha Coleman. The department aggressively pursued grants to offer a host of services for Linn County residents.

After Coleman’s departure, the department was on autopilot for a while under another administrator. However, when the current director Amanda Snyder and head nurse Danielle Casey, both of whom worked under Coleman, were given the green light by the commission to take the lead of the department, it was revived to be an agency that truly has the health of Linn County children, mothers and seniors in mind.

Most important has been LCHD’s efforts in improving the health of pregnant women, infants and children. In addition to making the WIC (Women, Infant, Children) program a priority, the staff has worked to develop a breastfeeding program and makes childhood vaccinations available and affordable.

In addition LCHD regularly schedules a mobile mammography van into the county to offer regular examinations for women who might not otherwise be able to travel to an out-of-county clinic.

In addition, the current health clinic with three nurses on staff instead of just one, offers employee biometric screenings. Biometric screening is a part of the health and wellness program that the county offers. By participating in that program, employees receive a discount on their health insurance.

Add to that holding health and vaccination clinics in county schools, and promoting workshops and kids activities, all of which have the aim of keeping Linn Countians healthy. For adults and children, low-cost vaccinations and testing viral maladies have proved life-saving through the early years of this decade.

The Linn County Health Department is a godsend for a county whose schools have a large number of students who qualify for free or reduced-cost lunches. Free- and reduced-lunch rates run as high as 60% in at least one of Linn County's school districts.

Commissioner Johnson keeps arguing that replacing the current department with SEKMHD would be a considerable savings to county taxpayers, but in the recent commission meeting Ms. Snyder provided evidence that it did not.

He also contended that the health department and Southeast Kansas Community Health Department (CHC/SEK) offered duplicate services. The three CHC/SEK clinics in Linn County provide much needed services, but the duplication is limited to vaccinations and physical exams for young athletes. Beyond that CHC/SEK offers more in-depth health services while LCHD focuses on overall well-being.

If Mr. Johnson really wants to help the county, he needs to support programs that provide services for its most vulnerable citizens.