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Health department reports measles preparedness, tick surveillance plans and grant uncertainty
Summary
Health Department Director Jason Tiller updated commissioners on clinic recertification, measles preparedness planning, tick surveillance, opioid‑needs spending and fiscal status; he flagged federal budget uncertainty affecting grant funding.
Saline County Health Department Director Jason Tiller updated commissioners May 27 on public-health activities, measles preparedness and planned tick surveillance while noting uncertainty about some state and federal grant funding.
Tiller said clinic staff completed annual recertification for the 340B program (TB, STD and family planning medications), continued planning for a local response in the event of a measles case and hosted nursing and public-health students. He reported WIC held a fathers-focused event and had begun a breastfeeding-friendly outreach asking downtown businesses to take a “breastfeeding welcome here” pledge; WIC reached roughly 60% of the target businesses during an initial visit.
Tiller briefed the commission on measles planning: the U.S. has exceeded 1,000 cases this year and Kansas had multiple cases; because measles is highly transmissible (he cited an R0 of 12–18), the county is reviewing contact and vaccination protocols and reminding residents to check MMR vaccination status. He also said KDHE has asked counties to participate in tick surveillance this season; the county will collect ticks for lab testing while reminding residents to mitigate standing water and to use mosquito dunks where appropriate.
Tiller reviewed recent spending from opioid‑settlement funds (approximately $75,000 over three years, including Narcan purchases and a needs assessment) and said the department was monitoring federal budget reconciliation language that could affect grant passthroughs; he recommended the commission be prepared for changing contract timing from KDHE but said, as of the briefing, staff had not been told contracts would be delayed.
On fiscal figures, Tiller reported the health department is at about 46% of projected revenue and 34% of projected expenses for the fiscal year and showed a positive difference of approximately $384,000; he cautioned that details of some federal grants remain uncertain until Congress and the state finalize appropriations.
