Riley County health staff update CERC plan, set clinic EMR training and keep two childcare licensing positions in grant application

Riley County Public Health presented a revised Crisis Emergency and Risk Communication (CERC) Plan and asked the commission for two operational approvals: short-term clinic closure for staff training and guidance on KDHE childcare-licensing staffing in the county's FY2027 grant application.

Michelle Forsmeyer, the county's emergency preparedness coordinator, told commissioners the CERC plan is a communications framework required by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and said it "doesn't change policy or require any action from you." She emphasized the plan's aim to counter misinformation and get clear, timely, accurate instructions to the public in an emergency: "The most important thing about this CERC plan is that, during public emergencies, clear, timely, and accurate communication helps people take appropriate protective actions," Forsmeyer said.

Public-health director Diane Creek asked the commission to approve closing the Riley County health clinic for 2.5 days (March 11–13) so staff can be trained on a new electronic medical-records system Patagonia is building for the department. Creek said the clinic has tentatively blocked appointments around those dates and that walk-in services would be suspended but rescheduled; commissioners voted to approve the closure and asked staff to post signage and social-media notices in advance.

Creek also led a lengthy discussion about childcare-licensing work the health department currently performs for four neighboring counties. She said KDHE's projected funding for servicing Riley County in the coming grant year was $53,781 and presented two staffing scenarios for the commission to consider: a supervisor plus two full-time licensing staff, or a supervisor plus one full-time staffer. Creek outlined the tradeoffs: one staffer would likely be limited to survey work and leave little capacity for outreach, training and complaint handling; two staffers would allow continued provider education, orientation and limited fee-for-service activities such as CPR/fit testing.

Commissioners expressed concern about the state-level funding shortfall and the practical effect of reducing local capacity. After questions and cross-examination of the numbers, the commission directed staff to draft the KDHE application assuming one supervisor and two full-time staff (the higher-staffing scenario) so the county can continue outreach and maintain service quality. Creek said she would write the application accordingly and that the county can revisit staffing once KDHE confirms final funding levels.

What happens next: the county will post notices for the clinic closure, submit the KDHE grant application for the July 1, 2026 grant year with the recommended staffing level, and continue routine updates to the commission on implementation and any changes to KDHE funding.