Riley Co., Kan. — Riley County is hosting several public meetings about health and healthcare in the community this April and May. Residents have the opportunity to share their perspectives on healthcare, health education, financial resources, neighborhood environments, and social context. These discussions will help identify the top health priorities in Riley County for the next three to five years, as outlined in the Community Needs Assessment.
“The 2020 Community Needs Assessment gave us a good idea of the needs in Riley County,” said RCHD Health Educator Shanika Rose. “Now we’re asking residents to help decide on priorities, so we can address what’s most important to them.”
Data from the 2015 and 2020 Community Needs Assessments have been used to inform local policies including the City of Manhattan’s non-discrimination ordinance, funding decisions made by the Social Services Advisory Board, and establishment of the Cat’s Cupboard at Kansas State University. Data have also been used to identify the Northview area for pilot projects in conjunction with the Kansas Health Foundation.
“The input shared by community members can have a real impact,” said Rose. “This work is incredibly rewarding and people have the opportunity to create change by sharing their stories. I know it can be challenging to speak up, but we really need to hear from residents to make sure we take the right path.”
Find the 2020 and 2015 Riley County Community Needs Assessment Interactive Report at http://www.rileycountycommunityneedsassessment.org/ 
This series of public meetings is part of the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) process managed by the Flint Hills Wellness Coalition. Partners for this initiative include the Riley County Health Department, Pawnee Mental Health Services, Inc., Ascension Via Christi – Manhattan, and Konza Prairie Community Health Clinic. The work is being funded by a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas Pathways to a Healthy Kansas grant, and is supported by EnVisage Consulting as well as funding from community partners.

Community Meeting Schedule

• 04/05/2022 – Ogden Community Center, 220 Willow St, Ogden, KS 66517 at  6:00 pm-7:30pm
• 04/07/2022-  Zoom – Hosted by BLM MHK at 7:00pm to 8:30pm (email Shanika Rose srose@rileycountyks.gov for link)
• 04/12/2022- Leonardville Community Center Senior Lunch, 118 Erpelding St, Leonardville, KS 66449 at 12:00pm to 1:00pm
• 04/12/2022 – Northview Elementary School, 300 Griffith Dr, Manhattan, KS 66502 at 6:30pm -8:00pm
• 04/14/2022 – Kansas State University Staley School of Leadership Studies Room 111, Hosted by Reagan Stonestreet and Sebastian Hattar at 3:30pm to 5:00pm
• 04/26/2022 – Riley County Senior Center,  301 N 4th St, Manhattan, KS 66502  at 1:00pm to 2:00pm
• 05/12/2022 – Zoom – Hosted by Flint Hills Wellness Coalition at 12:00pm-1:00pm

For more information, visit https://www.datacounts.net/rcchip/ or contact Shanika Rose at 785-776-4779 ext. 7650 or srose@rileycountyks.gov.