Reno County health staff share overdose review, outreach work at statewide conference
The department's assistant director of community health is president of the state association and helped plan the event
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Sign up freeReno County Health Department staff presented the county's overdose death reviews and community health outreach to peers statewide in three sessions at the Kansas Public Health Association's annual conference on Oct. 5-6, in Manhattan.
Thomas Simmons led a session on overdose fatality reviews. According to the county's Facebook post, the reviews bring community partners together to identify gaps, strengthen prevention efforts and help reduce overdose deaths.
Citizen Journal reported Sept. 4 that Reno County's reviews had become a statewide teaching model. The post does not include local overdose death figures or describe specific changes the reviews have produced.
Kara Bunce presented on adaptive health education, which the post describes as tailoring health education to different ages, audiences and community needs.
Bunce and Candace Davidson also co-presented "How to Throw a Party: Celebrating Community Coalitions and Engagement." According to the post, that session explored how recognizing contributions and celebrating shared successes can strengthen partnerships and keep communities involved in public health efforts.
Megan Gottschalk-Hammersmith, the department's assistant director of community health and president of the Kansas Public Health Association, served on the conference planning committee.
The conference at the Manhattan Conference Center marked the association's 105th anniversary under the theme "Innovating Public Health: Leading with Courage, Community, and Care." It drew public health professionals, community partners, students and leaders from across Kansas.
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