News & Issues
How Kansas Welfare Restrictions Could Lead to More Kids in Foster Care
Less than three weeks after signing a bill that’s expected to drop 700 youngsters from the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, Gov. Sam Brownback on Tuesday urged more Kansas families to open their homes to abused and neglected children.
How Johnson County Is ‘Stepping Up’ for Inmates and Mental Health
Johnson County was one of four communities nationwide introduced Tuesday as initial participants in a broad effort aimed at reducing the number of mentally ill individuals in local jails. Dubbed “Stepping Up,” the initiative is a combined effort of the National Association of Counties, the Council of State Governments Justice Center and the American Psychiatric Foundation.
The Fight Against Cervical Cancer is Winnable. So Why Is Kansas Losing?
If all it took were a few shots to virtually eliminate the chances of contracting one type of cancer, you’d think at-risk people would be lining up for treatment in droves. There is, in fact, a three-dose regimen that experts say essentially prevents cervical cancer, which is newly diagnosed in more than 12,000 American women…
Making exercise fun through drumming
For senior citizens, a good way to get some exercise is through group fitness classes like Drums Alive at the Matt Ross Community Center in Overland Park, Kansas. Debbie Shearer teaches the class. She said introducing exercise into senior citizens’ routines is “part of staying alive.” “If you don’t use it, you are going to…
A tale of two counties, with two different health outcomes
When it comes to standard measures of health, Kansas is a laggard. Whether we’re talking about obesity rates, incidence of diabetes, acute or chronic diseases, or childhood mortality, the Sunflower State typically ranks in the bottom half of state health rankings – and in recent years it’s been sinking even lower.