ROBERT PIERCE
• Leader & Times
While much of Monday’s Seward County Commission meeting was focused on the ongoing battle over the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, the Seward County Health Department was featured in a few agenda items of its own.
The first item concerned allocations for the local Women Infants and Children (WIC) program provided through the health department.
“The WIC budget year starts Oct. 1 and runs until Sept. 30,” SCHD Administrator Brie Greeson said. “The state is doing something a little different this year. There have been lots of changes in WIC. They typically give us a tentative allocation when they actually get the money from the federal dollars. They give us that, and then we bring the contract. We’re doing it a little bit different than how we previously did it.”
Greeson said current allocations sit at $387,185 for funding for the federal Nutrition Services Administrative (NSA) program, and with $15,000 for federal Breastfeeding Peer Counselor funds, the total WIC would get would be $402,185.
“This is the tentative contract the state’s given us,” she said. “The amount could increase depending on the final allocation due to state and local governments. We’re saying we could get those anytime between Oct. 1 and Nov. 19, but the government shut down, so I’m not sure we’re going to get those. We do have to get a tentative contract on file with the feds this year. This is asking me to sign the contract that was presented in your agenda packet.”
Commissioner Todd Stanton asked if the funds were already budgeted for and awaiting to be received from the federal government. Greeson confirmed the money was in the health department’s budget for this year.
“With the way mine work, they’re overlapping,” she said. “In the three different grant years, my budget is static until we get hard numbers. This is tentative. This is not how we’ve typically done it before. We typically bring you the actual numbers and have you sign off on that contract, but they’re making us do it a little wonky this year.”
Stanton then asked if it is known what a continuing resolution for the funding would do at this point. Greeson said it is not known at this time.
“What we typically do is we get the actual allocations,” she said. “If it’s different from what I budgeted, I bring that back to you guys. If it’s what I budget, I sign the contract with those numbers. With this, I’m asking to sign the tentative contract with these numbers presented, and I will bring you guys back the actual numbers if they increase or decrease.”
The commission voted unanimously to have Greeson sign the contract.
The next health department item concerned continuing funding for WIC amidst the current federal government shutdown.
“Back on July 21, the commission approved to allot $35,000 from the health sales tax dollars to offset the budget shortfalls,” Greeson said. “In late August, reallocation came through from state WIC, and we didn’t need to use that money that was allocated.”
Greeson said she was asking if she could use the $35,000 WIC had been alloted in August to assist with wages and benefits during the shutdown.
“The staff will be able to offer and assist clients with benefits through the end of October with current NSA funds,” she said.
Greeson said WIC provides much assistance for pregnant women, new mothers and young children in the county.
“It provides nutrition, education, breastfeeding support and access to healthy foods,” she said. “While federal dollars are on hold, the needs of these families are not. Our WIC staff is essential. Without them, families would not only lose benefits, but also the trusted guidance and support that help children thrive during the critical stages of development. If we lose staff, it will disrupt services, risk program compliance and greater long-term costs when rebuilding.”
Greeson said by approving short-term local funding, WIC can maintain its stability while protecting families and staff and ensure readiness to resume federal funding without interruption once appropriations are restored.
“On average, WIC brings in approximately $1 million in sales to Seward County,” she said. “In previous years of government shutdowns, we have gotten reimbursed for costs associated with the shutdown, but they are telling us this is not a guarantee this year. This is a temporary investment with a lasting impact on the health of our community. I ask you to support our WIC staff by doing so in reaffirming Seward County’s commitment to maternal and child health.”
Greeson said numbers from the state show WIC has brought many dollars into the county in recent years.
“October 2021 to September 2022, around $900,000 was brought into the county,” she said. “October 2022 to October 2023 was $1.1 million. October 2023 to October 2024, it brought in $1.2 million, and October 2024 to present, we are trending off the charts at $1.4 million. That’s just through September.”
Greeson said while the funding is for the county, some of the local WIC office’s clients do come from other area counties, but she said federal officials do not consider this a problem.
“As long as they’re in WIC, they can come to us and get services,” she said. “We’re serving 1,260 clients on average right now. I’m asking if we can help offset our valuable staff. It does take about 80 hours of minimal training in this program.”
Greeson, though, did say federal WIC officials are not requiring any redoing of trainings at this time.
“What they have on file is good for the current year,” she said.
Greeson said the money would just be transferred from the fourth quarter budget of FY 2025 to the first quarter budget of FY 2026.
“Hopefully, the government opens back up soon, and we don’t have to worry about it, but with the food dollars, the clients themselves will have services through the end of October as long as nobody panic buys,” she said.
Commissioners would later unanimously approve using the $35,000 for funding for the first quarter of the current fiscal year, and Greeson added if not for that move after Thursday, there would not be funding to move forward with current WIC staff.
Greeson also said it is not guaranteed the local WIC office will be reimbursed, but historically, they have in past years, so that is the hope for this year.
Administrator April Warden said Greeson and current WIC Director Tammie Thompson were told of the need for a plan Monday just hours before the commission meeting. Warden added local WIC officials were given until Tuesday to provide a contingency plan for the office’s five employees.
The next SCHD item concerned applications with the State of Kansas for a share of the $50 billion federal Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) established under House Resolution 1 and signed into law earlier this year.
“This major federal initiative is designed to strengthen and modernize rural health systems nationwide by investing in workforce development education system innovation and technology,” Greeson said.
To lead this effort, Greeson said Kansas has formed the Kansas Rural Health Innovation Alliance (KRHIA) – a state partnership guiding the development of Kansas’s application for the funding.
“The goal is to ensure Kansas’s proposal reflects the real needs of our rural communities and supports improved access to care and health outcomes across the state,” she said.
Greeson is also the past-president of the Kansas Association of Local Health Departments (KALHD) Board of Directors, and through that membership, SCHD has been invited to contribute directly to this process.
“KALHD is one of only 14 statewide organizations selected to participate in the KRHIA and represents the local perspective in shaping the state’s proposal,” she said.
Greeson said accepting the invitation will require her to attend two virtual meetings and one in-person session in Topeka.
“These meetings will inform Kansas’s final submission due to the federal government by Nov. 5 with funding awards anticipated by the end of the year,” she said.
Greeson said participation in KRHIA provides a valuable opportunity for the community to help shape how federal dollars will be invested in Kansas’s rural health system, ensuring local voices are represented and the needs of residents are reflected in the state’s plan. She added hopes are to get someone from Southwest Medical Center to the table as well.
Greeson said the process is moving quickly.
“As fast as it got implemented is as fast as they’re trying to get everything together,” she said.
Commissioner Presephoni Fuller said having someone represent Seward County in such a manner is quite an honor.
“I’m excited,” she said. “I think this could be really cool. It’s good to have a seat at the table and to be invited.”
Warden said Greeson’s experience in both hospital and public health made her a choice to contribute to the process.
Greeson said her involvement will be a good move forward for the county and the area as a whole.
“I think we’ll be able to figure out how to really help Southwest Kansas out,” she said. “That’s our goal.”
The last health department item concerned a memorandum of understanding between SCHD and the Seward County Detention Center to provide nurses to the jail.
“During budget session, it was agreed upon that the Seward County Health Department and the Seward County Detention Center would supply nurses for the jail,” Greeson said. “This is $30,000 total transferred to the Seward County Health Department from the Seward County Detention Center for wages and services. This reduces the amount paid by the Seward County Detention Center for nursing personnel and saves on benefits by not hiring another nurse. We are awaiting the commission approval for the MOU to be signed by myself and the sheriff.”
Commissioners voted unanimously to approve Greeson and Sheriff Gene Ward to sign the MOU.
