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K-State launches health worker project focused on rural and agricultural workforce

A new collaborative is working to connect farmers to physical and mental health resources.

Elaine Johannes, an extension specialist at Kansas State University, says the Rural Ag Health Community Health Worker project can help improve healthcare access for all. 

“We’re piloting five positions, and those positions are for community health workers,” she says. “Their jobs are to help with maybe finding the need in the community, visiting with some clients, doing maybe some client coaching around health behaviors.”

Johannes says older populations are especially vulnerable.

“As they get older in their career, it takes a wear and tear on hips and joints, arthritis. Sometimes our producers work in very isolated areas and they may feel alone,” she says.

She says she hopes to eventually partner with local providers, hospitals, clinics, health departments and interested municipalities.

“This isn’t a flash in the pan. We expect this to be something that we’ll be able to support and share in the years ahead,” she says.

The community health workers will be staffed in extension offices in the state’s five districts. It will involve 16 counties, including Allen, Bourbon, Clay, Cloud, Crawford, Jackson, Jefferson, Labette, Marshall, Montgomery, Nemaha, Neosho, Republic, Washington, Wilson and Woodson counties.

External and community partners currently include the University of Kansas Medical Center Communities Organizing to Promote Equity (COPE); Unite Us; the Kansas Community Health Worker Coalition with the Wichita State University Community Engagement Institute; Health Innovations Network of Kansas and other local health care partners.

The project has received funding and support through the K-State 105 initiative.