Riley County health director wins commission approval to submit $1.16 million in KDHE grant applications

Riley County Health Director Diane Creek asked the county board on March 9 for permission to submit eight Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) grant applications that together seek $1,156,841 for the county’s public-health programs.

Creek listed the line-item requests in her presentation and said the package includes preparedness, Wildcat regional preparedness, family planning, maternal and child health (MCH), child-care licensing, immunizations, the state formula allocation and universal home visiting. She told the commission the grant fiscal year runs July 1–June 30 (with WIC on an October schedule) and emphasized the applications must be submitted by noon on Monday, March 16.

Creek read the requested amounts on the chart she presented: aid-to-local line items for the county and Wildcat region, MCH, child-care licensing, immunizations, the state formula allocation, family planning and universal home visiting. She recommended the board approve submission so the health department can pursue the funding and begin required follow-up reporting if awarded.

Commissioners moved, seconded and approved the request by voice vote. Creek thanked staff members Breva Spencer (MCH), Caitlin Speth (WIC) and Heather Richie (CCL) for their work preparing the narratives and supporting documents.

What happens next: staff intend to submit the applications this week to meet the March 16 deadline. If awarded, the grants will fund programming and staffing decisions described in the KDHE applications and will be incorporated into future budget adjustments and reporting requirements.

Attribution: Diane Creek, Health Director (S8), presented the funding request and figures for the applications.