All posts by Submitted Story

K-State Extension

Aging With Attitude Expo April 29-30

Leave a comment
Barbara Stockebrand. K-State Extension Agent. Submitted photo.

 

People tend to act like getting older is the worst thing in the world, but it certainly doesn’t have to be. There are plenty of reasons to be positive about older age, live life to the fullest, and have a good time along the way. As Senator John Glenn has put it, “Too many people, when they get old, think that they have to live by the calendar.”

For the 10th year, K-State Research and Extension is joining with community partners in bringing the Aging With Attitude Regional Expo to the Southeast Kansas area. This event promotes positive attitudes about aging and provides inspiration, answers questions and delivers information to older adults, their families and caregivers about making the most of life.

The expo will be presented in a virtual format in 2021 and will be held from 9:00 am to noon on April 29th and April 30th with different programs presented each day.

Marci Penner of the Kansas Sampler Foundation will present an upbeat keynote address on some of the lesser-known attractions in southeast Kansas.

Other topics to be presented as part of the expo include

Telemedicine and You – Understanding new healthcare options; Fraud Awareness — Protecting yourself from scams; Hemp Culture; Valuable Records and Advance Health Care Planning conversation; and Smart Homes – How to make your home safer and more efficient through technology.

There will be some get-up-and-move exercises and fun brain-stretching activities during breaks between sessions.

Other community partners engaged with the expo planning include Angels Care Home Health, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice, Integrity Home Care + Hospice, Medicalodges – Fort Scott, Southeast Kansas Area Agency on Aging, Southeast Kansas Library System, and interested community individuals.

While the virtual presentation may be easily accessed from the comforts of your own home, four host sites have been reserved for those without internet access. Host site locations where individuals may attend one or both days of the expo include:

Chanute: First Baptist Church Good News Center,

118 N. Forest

 

Fort Scott: Community Christian Church Gym,

1919 Horton St.

 

Parsons:  Southeast Area Research & Extension Ctr.,

25092 Ness Rd.

 

Pittsburg: Homer Cole Senior Center,

 2003 N. Joplin St.

Host site reservations need to be made by calling ahead to 620-625-8620.

Space is limited, due to social distancing.

Masks will be required.

A goal of the expo is to empower older adults and their caregivers –with information and education that is shared throughout the expo–to make more confident and proactive decisions that influence how they age.

Partial funding is provided by a grant from the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation and the Southeast Kansas Area Agency on Aging to support the 2021 Aging with Attitude Regional Expo.

Virtual vendor booths for aging services and information available in the southeast Kansas area will be shared as part of the webinars.

There is no participant registration fee this year, however, registration is required to receive the webinar link. For more information, program details, and online registration, go to www.agingexpo.k-state.edu or call 620-625-8620. The registration deadline is April 23.

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Agenda For March 30

Leave a comment

Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

1st Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Tuesdays starting at 9:00

 

Date: March 30, 2021

 

1st District-Lynne Oharah                                                                Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jim Harris                                                                      Corrected: _______________________

3rd District-Clifton Beth                                                                              Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

 

   

    MEETING WILL BE HELD IN THE COMMISSION ROOM.  ANYONE ATTENDING THE MEETING         WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK.  MUST MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING.

 

Call to Order

   

  • Flag Salute
  • Approval of Minutes from previous meeting
  • Eric Bailey – Road and Bridge Report
  • David Luke – KCAMP Overview (785) 338-1504
  • Clint Anderson – Ratio for Last Year
  • Lynne Oharah – Radio Spot
  • County Counselor Comment

Multi-County Health Board

    • Public Comment
  • Commission Comment
  • Lynne Oharah – HR Director

Health Care, Kansas

Webinar For Drug Endangered Children Awareness Day

Leave a comment

The Kansas Alliance for Drug Endangered Children is presenting webinars each Wednesday in April from 10:00 am-11:00 am for Drug Endangered Children Awareness Day.

These webinars are free and certificates of attendance will be provided for continuing education.

KANSAS DEC AWARENESS MONTH INFO-REGISTRATION FLYER

Please see the attached flyer for more information on each webinar and registration details.  Please feel free to send this to your agencies and to anyone who might be interested in these training opportunities.  Thank you!

 

 

COVID-19, Government, Kansas

Kansas Travel Quarantine List Update

Leave a comment

Office of the Secretary LetterheadFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

March 26, 2021

Contact: [email protected]

KDHE amends travel quarantine list

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has amended its travel quarantine list to add several states and countries – Delaware, Michigan, Rhode Island and the countries of Hungary and Jordan. One country is removed from the previous list, Mayotte.

A comprehensive list of those individuals needing to quarantine includes visitors and Kansans who have:

  • Traveled on or after March 26 to Delaware, Michigan or Rhode Island.
  • Traveled on or after March 26 to Hungary or Jordan.
  • Traveled on or after March 12 to New Jersey or New York.
  • Traveled on or after March 12 to State of Palestine or Estonia.
  • Traveled on or after Feb. 26 to Czechia, San Marino or Montenegro.
  • Attendance at any out-of-state mass gatherings of 500 or more where individuals do not socially distance (6 feet) and wear a mask.
  • Been on a cruise ship or river cruise on or after March 15, 2020.

The travel quarantine period is seven days with a negative test result or 10 days without testing, with release from quarantine on Day 8 and Day 11, respectively. Further information on quarantine periods can be found on KDHE’s website.

For those traveling internationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is requiring testing within three days of flights into the U.S. For further information on this and other requirements, visit their website.

For those who are fully vaccinated (meaning it has been greater than two weeks since they completed their vaccinations) they are not required to quarantine regarding travel if they meet all of the following criteria:

  • Are fully vaccinated (i.e., ≥2 weeks following receipt of the second dose in a 2- dose series, or ≥2 weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine)
  • Are within 6 months following receipt of the last dose in the series
  • Have remained asymptomatic since the travel

Persons who do not meet all 3 of the above criteria should continue to follow current quarantine guidance for travel.

The travel quarantine list is determined using a formula to evaluate new cases over a two-week period, then adjusted for population size to provide a case rate per 100,000 population. This provides a number that can then be compared to the rate in Kansas. Locations with significantly higher rates — approximately 3x higher — are added to the list.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit the KDHE website at www.kdhe.ks.gov/coronavirus.
COVID-19, Government, Kansas

Kansas Phase 5 of COVID Plan Begins March 29

1 Comment

Governor Laura Kelly Announces Kansas to Move to Phase 5 of Vaccine Distribution Plan

~Starting Monday, March 29 all Kansans (16+) Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine~

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced that starting next Monday, March 29, 2021, the State of Kansas will make the COVID-19 vaccine available to all Kansans (16+), entering the final Phase 5 of the Vaccine Prioritization plan.

“With the anticipated increase in supply from the federal government, we must get every dose of vaccine into arms quickly,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I strongly encourage every Kansan to get the COVID-19 vaccine so we can get back to school, back to work, and back to normal.”

Kansas will become the 8th state to make the vaccine available to all adults, joining Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Utah, and West Virginia.

As of March 26, 35.1% of the adult population in Kansas had received at least one dose of the vaccine.

In the early part of the vaccination program (December 2020 – February 2021), limited federal supply led to demand for vaccine consistently outstripping supply. However, the supply increases of recent weeks have reversed this situation. Local Health Departments (LHDs) and providers have started reporting a decline in demand despite the state opening to Phases 3 and 4 populations. To ensure no vaccine goes to waste, the Kelly administration decided to open eligibility to all Kansans.

Kansans are encouraged to use the Vaccine Finder tool to find the nearest location with available vaccine.

About the COVID-19 vaccines:

  • COVID-19 Vaccines work: New England Journal of Medicine published a study on Feb. 24 that found researchers in Israel and the U.S. report that the vaccine made by Pfizer-BioNTech was highly effective in protecting against infection with the COVID-19 virus, lowering people’s chances of getting sick with the disease—especially severe disease—and dropping COVID-19 hospitalization rates.
  • Scientists have been researching mRNA technology, which makes it possible to create a vaccine faster, for years to prepare for potential infectious viruses. This research and the high supply of volunteers for clinical trials led to the relatively quick development of the COVID-19 vaccines.
  • COVID-19 vaccines must meet rigorous standards and have undergone the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history. The three COVID-19 vaccines had to meet safety and effectiveness standards to be approved for Emergency Use Authorization and have been evaluated in tens of thousands of participants in clinical trials.

Obituary

Obituary of Frank Crystal

Leave a comment

Frank Richard Crystal, age 83, a resident of Devon, Kansas, passed away Friday, March 26, 2021, at his home.

He was born December 19, 1937.  Frank was born and raised in the Pawnee/Cato area.

Frank enjoyed Friday nights with his family, fishing and taking care of his cows on the farm.  You could always find Frank on Wednesday nights playing cards with the guys or on Saturdays at the Sale Barn or attending a farm auction.

Frank married Patricia Sue Krull in November of 1959.  Frank and Pat together had five boys; Mark and wife, Trish, Marty and wife, Jolene, Mickey and wife Theresa, Matt and Mitch Crystal.

Frank later met Yvonne Beck and her daughter, Susie, and they became part of the family.  Frank got to handpick his daughter, Susie, and later got a son-in-law, Chris Arvidson.

Yvonne Beck survives of the home along with his five boys and his daughter.

Also surviving are his grandchildren, Matthew, Jordin, Brooke, Devann, John, Jackie, Raylene, Kaylyn, Callie, Dyllian, Tate, Garrett, Cord, and Cody, and great-grandchildren, Evan, Neva, Josie, Finnley, Olivia, Kannon, and Kennedy his sister, Carolyn Crystal, and several nieces and nephews.

Frank was preceded in death by his father, Joe Crystal, his mother, Elva and step-father, Lester Hunt, and infant sister, Darlene Crystal, a brother, James Crystal and sister, Wilda Insley as well as a great-grandson, Thomas “TJ” Burton, Jr.

The family would like to give a special thank you to all his doctor’s and nurses that have cared for Frank over the years and a special thanks to his dialysis nurses Patti and Nancy.

Funeral services with Masonic rites will be held at 10:00 A.M. Tuesday, April 6th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Following funeral services, there will be cremation and a private family burial will take place later in the Large Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 P.M. Monday, April 5th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Memorials are suggested to the Xenia Masonic Lodge and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Obituary

Death Notice of William Carl Jowers

1 Comment

William Carl Jowers, age 69, formerly of Ft. Scott, KS, recently of Joplin, MO, died Wednesday, March 24, 2021, at Mercy Hospital, Joplin, MO.  Memorial services for Carl Jowers will be held at 1:00 PM Saturday, April 3rd, at the First Southern Baptist Church.  Cheney Witt Chapel will publish a full obituary in the next edition.

Obituary

Death Notice of Marilyn Barker

Leave a comment

Marilyn M. Barker, age 76, resident of Ft. Scott, KS, died Friday, March 26, 2021, at Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, KS.

Funeral services for Marilyn Barker will be held at 11:30 AM Friday, April 2nd, at the First Baptist Church.

The family will receive friends from 10:30 until service time at the church.

The family committal will take place in the U. S. National Cemetery.

Cheney Witt Chapel will publish a full obituary in the next edition.

 

 

 

Government, Kansas

Mental Illness Outpatient Treatment Being Developed

Leave a comment

Governor Laura Kelly Announces KDADS Awarded $4 Million Grant to Strengthen Outpatient Treatment Services for Kansans with Serious Mental Illness

TOPEKA – Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) Secretary Laura Howard announced today the agency has received a federal commitment of $4 million in grant funding to develop Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) services that will enhance outpatient treatment services for people with serious mental illness (SMI) in Kansas. The grant will make $1 million available annually for four years. The funds will support five AOT pilot sites to reduce the incarceration and/or hospitalization of people with SMI in their communities through court ordered outpatient treatment.

“Since day one, my administration has focused on improving services for Kansans who would be better served by treatment than incarceration,” Governor Kelly said. “Using what we learn from these pilot sites, we’re ready to work with state and local partners to develop guidelines to protect Kansans statewide and reduce the number of individuals with mental illness in jails or in hospitals.”

“This grant enhances partnerships with law enforcement, mental health services, courts, hospitals and other community services within the pilot site communities to get Kansans with SMI the help they need in their own communities,” KDADS Secretary Howard said. “The results of the project will inform recommendation to the Kansas Legislature on ways to improve Assisted Outpatient Treatment in Kansas.”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation, awarded the grant to fund Kansas’ AOT pilot project in five regions and key communities across the state.

“KDADS is excited to be able to implement this grant in Kansas and expand opportunities for Kansans to receive community treatment instead of being admitted to state hospitals for institutional treatment,” KDADS Behavioral Health Services Commissioner Andy Brown said. “Our goals to work with local courts and CMHCs to reduce both incarcerations and involuntary hospitalizations for people with serious mental illness will be advanced with this funding from SAMHSA.”

This four-year SAMHSA program is intended to implement and evaluate new AOT programs and identify evidence-based practices in order to reduce the incidence and duration of psychiatric hospitalization, homelessness, incarcerations, and interactions with the criminal justice system while improving the health and social outcomes of individuals with an SMI. This program is designed to work with courts to allow these individuals to obtain treatment while continuing to live in the community and their homes.

The intent of the Kansas AOT Project is to create five pilot sites in Kansas to establish process and procedure in support of modification of involuntary commitment laws and transition to the AOT model. The pilot sites include the Kansas counties of Cowley, Douglas, Ellis, Ford and Riley. In a recent report card from the Treatment Advocacy Center, several gaps were identified in Kansas’s current laws – no explicit criteria for psychiatric deterioration, the treatment plan is not shared with the court, duration of initial order is not long enough, duration of continued order is not long enough, and there is no court monitoring of voluntary settlement agreements. These gaps will be addressed during the project through the pilot sites. The result of the pilot project will be recommendations to the Kansas Legislature to amend statutes to support a permanent AOT program in Kansas.

Continue reading Mental Illness Outpatient Treatment Being Developed →