Linn County Health Department Director Amanda Snyder will be reporting later this year on advances her department is making by using technology. (Journal file photo)
By Charlene Sims, info@linncountyjournal.com
MOUND CITY – Linn County Health Department Director Amanda Snyder will be one of the presenters at the upcoming National WIC Association conference later this year. Snyder told the Linn County Commission during her monthly report on Monday, Feb. 3, that her application to speak at the conference was accepted.
She will be presenting at three sessions during the conference.
The category that Snyder chose to present on was technology innovation and modernization at the Linn County Health Department. She explained that has a lot to do with the changes she has made to the department’s website. She showed the commissioners a draft of the poster on the television screen in the commission meeting room.
Snyder told the commissioners that the information that she has changed or added on the webpage are things that previously were handouts or materials that were purchased to give to women, infant and children (WIC) clients. She said that a WIC client may leave an appointment at the department with 10 different fliers or pamphlets. If they are like most people, they don’t get posted onto the refrigerator. The materials are left in the car or they get tossed and money is just being thrown away there.
Snyder said that her goal was to take these handouts, create new handouts that could be in an electronic format. When they come in they are given a magnet with a QR code on it that they can put on their refrigerator. They can then quickly scan the QR code and that will bring up the health department website with those handouts and resources.
For example, if a parent has a child with iron deficiency, they do not have to search for the paperwork to see what was recommended for their child to eat. They can just go to the QR Code and see that foods like spinach are good for that health problem.
She said that she had also included the postcard that the health department hands out that has the pre-WIC application on it. Snyder told the commissioners that is what she would be making the presentation on, and she is very excited about that.
Snyder told the commissioners that the health department website update is nearly finished and she hopes to hit the publish button to make it live this week. She said that Brad Rhodes, the intern with the Information Technology (IT) department, has been helping her with all the updates and he has been really great to work with and she appreciates his help very much.
Snyder showed the commissioners the number of appointments for the last couple of years. She said the the numbers were already up for 2025 but that the 2024 figures were not has high as the 2023 numbers.
She then reported on the health department’s current activities as well as activities that are in the planning stages:
• The nurses conducted employee biometric screenings. One was done at the Courthouse Annex for employees and one was offered at a walk-in morning at the health department clinic. She said that 24 employees took advantage of this. She explained that the biometric screening is a part of the health and wellness program that the county offers. By participating in that program, employees receive a discount on their health insurance. The screenings will be offered again in June.
• Health department staff attended a health fair at the Pleasanton Library.
• The staff held a CPR class for all of Jayhawk-Linn transportation employees.
Snyder reminded the commissioners and the public that programs at the health department are not income-based. Services are free for every citizen of Linn County. She said that the health department staff was there for everybody.
Snyder announced the upcoming events, they are:
• Baby Sprinkle on Friday, Feb. 14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the health department. The agenda for the day will be an introduction to the WIC program and services that the department offers.
Sessions include the importance of breastfeeding, the importance of immunizations, the immunization schedule, a safe-sleep crib clinic along with a demonstration, a car seat installation demonstration, and help installing car seats that participants already have.
After these sessions, there will be refreshments and the vendor booths will be open. Vendor booths will be for WIC, breastfeeding, immunizations, safe sleep, car seats, the “Becoming a Mom class,” dental care and chiropractic care.
Snyder said this was open to any expectant mother within Linn County of if she has given birth in the last six months.
“They are all welcome to come. You don’t have to be a current WIC client or anything like that. It’s open to anybody,” said Snyder.
• The mammogram bus will be at the health department on Tuesday, Feb. 18. Insurance is accepted or an out-of-pocket fee can be paid. Snyder said there were six or seven openings available. To make an appointment, contact the health department office.
• Wellness Wednesdays, a collaboration of K-State Extension and the health department will be held throughout the county. The health department program will be presented on Feb. 5 at the La Cygne Library and planned for Feb. 12 at the health department. For other programs in the series see the advertisement on the calendar page of the Journal.
• The staff of the health department will be attending a preparedness workshop hosted by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) on Feb. 20. This is a requirement for the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) grant that the health department receives annually.
Snyder said that this workshop is focusing on “mass sheltering” events, so the health department along with emergency management department will be attending. The county will be taking their emergency plans to the workshop and will be given a scenario that they have to solve with their plan. Afterwards, the group will evaluate areas where the plan worked and areas where improvement is needed.
• WIC on Wheels will be at Blue Mound for appointments on Feb. 21. Appointments are offered first to clients that live in that area.
• Snyder said they were getting ready to start on their community garden/nutrition nook at the health department. They are hoping to partner with K- State Master Gardeners at the garden, which will be prepared at the health department site as soon as the weather allows. The goal is to plant produce that is available to the community and in the health department lobby a nutrition nook with produce available.
• Snyder informed that commissioners that 2025-2026 aid to local grant applications will be due on March 17. There are four grants that provide assistance to the health department each year. In the next couple of weeks, she will be working on the State Formula grant, the Immunization Action Plan (IAP), the Public Health Emergency Preparation (PHEP) grant and the Maternal Child and Health (MCH) grant.
• Snyder told the commissioners other programs were on the horizon but planning has not been completed. They include the Safe Sitters Class, which will probably be scheduled the week before spring break for students in the fourth through sixth grades, Women and Mens Health Week and a “Keep Me Safe, a Community Event” that includes information on lifejacket safety, water safety, snakes, ticks, safe sleep information, car seats and children’s identification cards.
• The health department continues to work on Alzheimer’s Education and support.
• The Rock Snake and Summer Physical Activity will be starting this summer.
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