Barton County Health Department will work on getting the county to “say ah” this year.
Health Department Director Lily Akings reported that is just one of the goals for the department in 2012.
She told the Barton County Commission this week that her staff will continue work on a community health assessment, which is needed for the department to continue its accreditation.
Also this year, she noted, there will be changes in the region the department serves.
Her staff will include Rice County in its child care licensing efforts, so the licensing will be done in Rice, Barton and Rush counties.
Akings noted that the staff had licensed Ness and Lane counties, too, but will stop those areas, due to the milage.
Other projects for 2012 will include:
• Regional preparedness efforts with the Emergency Management Department.
• Continued grant application to cover funding for the department. Akings explained the department gets 50 percent of its funding from federal and state grants, 30 percent from revenue and 20 percent from local taxes.
• Improving child immunization levels. Immunization is at 82 percent now, but the goal is to reach 90 percent.
• Development of electronic medical records.
• Improve identification methods. “Many times we have people using aliases,” Akings told commissioners.
• Cooperate with the new local farm show.
• Continue the service of the health clinic. Akings reported that in 2011, the clinic served 6,907 patients and her staff worked with about 1,000 women in the WIC program, as well.
Also this week, the Barton County Commission approved the appointment of Greg Stukey as treasurer of Liberty Township. He replaces Melvane Michael Ruppe who resigned because he moved out of the township.