Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce News Newswire

LIVE WELL GEARY COUNTY, BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF KANSAS PROPEL HEALTH INITIATIVES WITH NEARLY $100,000 IN GRANT FUNDING

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Media Contact:
Susan Jagerson
Director, Live Well Geary County and Pathways to a Healthy Kansas Coordinator
sdjagerson@gmail.com | 785-223-1654

LIVE WELL GEARY COUNTY, BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF KANSAS PROPEL HEALTH INITIATIVES WITH NEARLY $100,000 IN GRANT FUNDING

(Geary County, Kansas) – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas’ Pathways to a Healthy Kansas has awarded $90,000 in grant funding to Live Well Geary County and partners. The funding will address key community health priorities, such as mental health, healthy food access, food security and community infrastructure.
“Pathways is built on the idea that healthier communities are better for everyone – residents, employers and the long-term vitality of the state,” said Virginia Barnes, Director, Blue Health Initiatives for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas. “These initiatives illustrate the benefits of Kansans serving Kansans.”

The awards and projects include:

• $25,000 to support the completion of community roundtable discussions with key stakeholders to finalize the Geary County Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). The plan identified priority areas for improving community health, including mental health services, transportation solutions, and other critical health-related social needs. Overseeing the effort: The Geary County Mental Health Task Force represented by Konza Prairie Community Health Center, Stormont Vail Hospital, Geary County Sheriff's Department, Geary County Commission, EMS/Fire Department, Veterans Affairs, Pawnee Mental Health, the 8th Judicial District, USD 475, Dorothy Bramlage Public Library, Live Well Geary County, the Cohen Clinic at Centerstone, a local not-for-profit, and the private practice, Evergreen Behavioral Health.
“While the task force’s overall mission is to collaborate with our community partners to make a difference in the mental health of all residents of Geary County, this initiative is our first funded effort to start where healthy coping skills can develop in our youth,” said Nicole Gonzalez, LCMFT, LCAC Behavioral Health Director, KPCHC who participates with the task force. “We all care about our community, and we're hoping this grant will bring aid to youth and their families, allowing them to engage in healthy recreational activities as part of their mental health journey and treatment. This is a big first step towards our mission of improving the quality of life by bridging gaps to ensure individuals have access to the resources, support, and care they need."

• $25,000 to benefit the Geary County Community Farmers Market and Junction City Main Street Market to undergo business planning. The plan will focus on operations, branding, location and fundraising to continue to provide residents with fresh local options for produce and other goods. Funding will also be used for operations in the two current markets.

• $20,000 to benefit infrastructure and accessibility improvements at the 12th Street Community Garden. The improvements will focus on accessible walkways, a water bottle filling station and a storage shed replacement to increase the garden’s ability to produce fresh fruits and vegetables while also expanding opportunities to host educational gardening and nutrition skills programs.

• $20,000 to benefit healthy food access for students at Cloud County Community College Geary County Campus. Improved access will reduce food insecurity and ensure students have convenient access to healthy foods that support their academic success and overall well-being. "We are thrilled to receive this five-year grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas through the Pathways to a Healthy Kansas initiative, said Jennifer Zabokrtsky, Director of the Geary County Campus. “These funds allow us to significantly expand our campus food pantry by purchasing a freezer to increase choices that integrate Healthy Eating Research guidelines into our student outreach. We are especially grateful to Susan Jagerson, Live Well Geary County Director, local BCBSKS Pathways to Healthy Kansas initiative Coordinator for her partnership and for including Cloud County Community College in this phase of Geary County’s Pathways to a Healthy Kansas initiative."

Live Well Geary County is one of 19 health coalitions approved for funding through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas’ Pathways to a Healthy Kansas; the largest community grant initiative funded by the insurer. Pathways combines community-wide, evidence-based solutions and practices to help Kansas communities improve active living, healthy eating, behavioral health and commercial tobacco prevention.
"Through our ongoing involvement as a Pathways community, Live Well Geary County has strengthened partnerships with local agencies, leveraged resources to support community-driven initiatives, and created opportunities that enhance quality of life while helping residents lead healthier, more active lives,” said Susan Jagerson, Director, Live Well Geary County and Pathways Coordinator.

For more information about Pathways grant awards in Geary County, please contact Susan Jagerson, Director, Live Well Geary County and Pathways Coordinator at sdjagerson@gmail.com or 785-223-1654.

About Pathways to a Healthy Kansas
Pathways to a Healthy Kansas is the largest community grant initiative ever funded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas. It combines community-wide, evidence-based solutions and practices to help Kansas communities improve active living, healthy eating, behavioral health and commercial tobacco prevention. Learn more: https://www.bcbsks.com/blue-health-initiatives/pathways.

About the Live Well Geary County
At Live Well Geary County, we are developing dynamic, community-based strategies to improve the health of our community residents. Live Well was founded in response to a call for county-wide coordinated action among health and wellness stakeholders. Together we work to close the gaps in services and resources so that there are healthy choices where residents live, learn, work, and play. Learn more: https://www.livewellgearycounty.org.

Stormont Vail Health, PrairieLINK Awarded KDHE Grant to Advance Rural Health Transformation

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 22:22:39 GMT

For Immediate Release

For more information, contact:
Taylor Bugg
Marketing and Communications Specialist
Taylor.Bugg@stormontvail.org
(785) 581-2996

Stormont Vail Health, PrairieLINK Awarded KDHE Grant to Advance Rural Health Transformation
TOPEKA, Kan. (June 2, 2026) – A coalition of healthcare and community partners across northeast and north central Kansas has been awarded $5,465,969 through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s Regional Partnership Grant Program (RPGP), a key initiative of the State’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). The funding will support the continued development of the PrairieLINK Health Alliance of Kansas, a collaborative regional effort focused on strengthening access, coordination, and long-term sustainability of rural healthcare services.

PrairieLINK is a partnership among Stormont Vail Health Flint Hills Campus and rural clinics, Morris County Hospital and rural clinics, Community HealthCare System and rural clinics, F.W. Huston Medical Center and rural clinic, Midland Care Connection, and Kansas State University. Together, these organizations represent a diverse network of critical access hospitals, rural providers, community-based organizations, and academic leaders working to improve care delivery and health outcomes across a multi-county region.

“We are deeply grateful to KDHE for their support in making this funding possible and for recognizing the strength of collaboration across our region,” said Mark Slyter, President and CEO of Stormont Vail Health. “We are appreciative for their partnership and for the opportunity to successfully secure funding alongside our community partners. Together, we are building on trusted relationships to create a more coordinated, connected system of care that supports patients, providers, and rural communities now and into the future.”

PrairieLINK’s service area spans 11 counties, many of which are medically underserved and facing workforce shortages alongside rising rates of chronic disease. At the same time, rural hospitals are under increasing financial pressure, underscoring the need for new models of care that improve efficiency while maintaining access close to home.

Through PrairieLINK, partners will focus on expanding telehealth capabilities, improving access to specialties such as neurology, critical care, infectious disease, and behavioral health, and implementing shared care pathways to enhance quality and reduce unnecessary transfers. Additional efforts will include strengthening regional data-sharing capabilities and integrating prevention and wellness strategies, including Kansas State University’s Exercise is Medicine program, to improve chronic disease management and overall population health. Midland Care Connection will contribute its nationally recognized “Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly” (PACE) program, an innovative, community-based model that integrates medical and social services to help seniors remain safely in their homes while receiving comprehensive, coordinated care.

The grant will provide funding to advance the infrastructure and governance of a clinically integrated network (CIN) with a performance framework to support value-based care models. Stormont Vail will support the CIN with system-level leadership, expertise, and support services.

“Rural healthcare is essential to the health and vitality of our communities,” said Heidi Pickerell, F.W. Huston Medical Center CEO. “This funding allows us to work collectively to expand access, support our local providers, and build a stronger, more sustainable system so patients can receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.”

PrairieLINK Health Alliance of Kansas is a regional collaboration of healthcare and community partners made up of Stormont Vail Health Flint Hills, Morris County Hospital, Community HealthCare System, F.W. Huston Medical Center, Midland Care Connection, and Kansas State University. The partnership is working to strengthen access, coordination and long-term sustainability of rural healthcare services across northeast and north central Kansas. Through a clinically integrated network (CIN), partners align care, share data and support value-based models to improve quality, efficiency and patient outcomes.

Stormont Vail Health is a nonprofit, integrated healthcare system that has served Kansas for more than 140 years. With a medical staff of more than 570 providers, including 280 physicians, Stormont Vail delivers care across more than 35 locations in eastern Kansas. In addition to its acute care hospitals in Topeka and Junction City (Flint Hills Campus), Stormont Vail provides access to a wide range of ambulatory and procedural care in the region. Learn more at stormontvail.org.

Morris County Hospital is a not-for-profit, 21-bed Critical Access Hospital located in the heart of the Flint Hills in Council Grove, Kansas. Our mission is to provide personalized, high-quality care to individuals of all ages, from the newest members of our community to our most seasoned residents. In addition to our hospital services, we operate four Rural Health Clinics across two neighboring counties, serving patients throughout a five-county region. As healthcare continues to evolve, we remain committed to combining compassionate, patient-centered care with the latest advances in medical technology. From state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment to innovative treatment options, we invest in technologies that enhance outcomes, improve efficiency, and expand access to care close to home. Our highest priority is ensuring that our communities have access to exceptional healthcare and that every patient receives the most effective, advanced, and personalized care possible.

Community HealthCare System Guided by our mission ~ to enrich the health and lives of the people we serve! Community HealthCare System is a leading nonprofit health system rooted in a long tradition of compassionate, high-quality care for the rural communities of northeast Kansas. From the very beginning of life through the senior years, we are here when our communities need us most, providing care that is personal, connected, and close to home. Whether it’s routine care, unexpected illness, or ongoing support for aging adults, our focus is on meeting people where they are in their health journey and helping them move forward with confidence. As we continue to grow and integrate services throughout the region, we are strengthening care coordination, expanding access to providers and specialties, and investing in the long-term health of the communities we serve. These efforts are designed to reduce barriers to care and ensure patients can receive timely, high-quality services close to home. At CHCS, we remain committed to honoring the rural values of our region while advancing healthcare for the future.

F.W. Huston Medical Center in Jefferson County, Kansas, is a Critical Access Hospital providing 24/7 emergency care and a walk-in clinic, as well as inpatient and outpatient services, rehabilitation therapies, long-term care, and assisted living in a rural setting. Known for its minimal wait times and strong community focus, the center offers a spectrum of care, including a primary care clinic, diagnostic services, retail pharmacy, and community housing. Guided by its mission to help individuals “Live Life Well,” F.W. Huston Medical Center emphasizes integrity, teamwork, and patient-centered service while actively working to improve quality and expand resources for northeast Kansas residents.

The Kansas State University College of Health and Human Sciences is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities through excellence in education, research, outreach, and community engagement. Within the college, the School of Health Sciences prepares future healthcare and public health professionals through interdisciplinary training, applied research, and partnerships with healthcare systems, community organizations, and public agencies. Through its Exercise is Medicine Program, the School focus on improving health outcomes and enhance quality of life for individuals and communities across the state of Kansas.

Midland Care Connection is a community-based nonprofit founded in 1978 and based in Topeka. Midland Care provides care and services to more than 3,000 persons with serious illness and older adults aging in place in Kansas and Missouri. The services Midland Care provides includes the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), geriatric primary care, hospice, home health, meals on wheels, palliative care, residential services and grief and loss counseling services. The mission of the organization is carried out by 600 staff members and 1,000 volunteers.
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