On January 16th, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS) announced its recipients of Pathways grants. Among the recipients was Clay County’s Little Learners Childhood Connections (formerly Clay County Child Care) in partnership with Grow Clay County, which received the grant through the Little Learners’ Health & Wellness Advisory Committee. The grant is for $100,000 over two years, with $50,000 per year.
The grant requires that there be a community health coalition to address barriers to healthy eating, active living, behavioral health, and commercial tobacco prevention.
“This initiative aligns closely with the mission of our Health and Wellness Advisory Committee, which is required by the Office of Head Start,” said LLCC Executive Director, Audrey Waid. “Both emphasize the involvement of comprehensive health service providers—including medical, dental, nutrition, physical wellbeing, and mental health professionals—as active members and allows us to make a broader impact without creating a new committee or duplicating efforts.”
The LLCC Health & Wellness Advisory Committee, formed in Clay County in 1991, is composed of LLCC staff, enrolled parents, and local healthcare providers. The committee provides a platform to share information, discuss issues and concerns, and offer guidance to the Head Start Program. Its advice supports the planning, operation, and evaluation of comprehensive health services for enrolled children and families, while also addressing the broader needs of the communities they serve.
The LLCC HWAC’s goals include:
• Addressing food insecurity by working with Lighthouse for Christ
• Promoting access to other health-related social needs by working with the Clay County Health Department and area healthcare providers.
• Focus on increasing youth activity in collaboration with Clay Center Parks and Recreation
• Commitment to improving multimodal transportation by working with the Clay Center Exploration Trails Committee and City of Clay Center.
• Grow the commercial kitchen at the upcoming Life Center into an incubator space to support emerging businesses
The provider of the grant, Pathways to a Healthy Kansas, was created in 2016 “to inspire long-lasting, community-wide health and well-being in communities across Kansas.”
In total, 19 communities were selected for a grant for the 2025-2026 cycle. Clay County is a first-time recipient of the grant.
Each Pathways community will receive coordination assistance from BCBSKS to get started. In addition, organizations within the communities of Clay County will have the opportunity to apply for non-competitive implementation grants to fund projects that will help reach the LLCC HWAC goals for the initiative.
Part of the grant includes coordination assistance from BCBSKS and the opportunity to apply for additional implementation grants within the program.
