County accepts $433,450 KDHE grant for early-childhood services and hires pharmacist consultant

Shawnee County commissioners on May 28 approved a continuing agreement with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), Division of Health Care Finance, providing $433,450.95 to the county health department for outreach, prevention and early-intervention services.

Missy Mendorf, Family Health Division Manager at the Shawnee County Health Department, told the board the agreement is an annual funding vehicle the county uses to match its Early Childhood Block Grant and to support programs including Nurse-Family Partnership. She said the county will also pass through funding for Kansas Children's Service League to support Healthy Families home-visitation services and will return with separate agreements for those pass-throughs once KDHE funds are in place.

"This agreement with KDHE is what we use for funding to match our early childhood block grant," Mendorf said.

Commissioners voted to approve the KDHE agreement by unanimous voice vote (3-0).

Separately, the board awarded Shawnee County RFP 015-26 for professional pharmaceutical consultation services to Elizabeth (Betsy) Skinner and approved an independent-contractor agreement (C2026198) for pharmacist-in-charge services at $800 per month, with payments drawn from program and grant budgets. Carrie Delves, clinical services division manager, presented the procurement and contract.

Commissioner Bill Ripon moved the contract actions; Commissioner Kevin Cook seconded. Both the RFP award and the contract were approved by voice vote (3-0).