News

Learn more about things happening at the Health Fund, and in our areas of focus

Report shows concerning projections on potential Medicaid funding cuts to KS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  April 29, 2025  CONTACTS:    Brenda Sharpe President and CEO REACH Healthcare Foundation brenda@reachhealth.org   David Jordan President and CEO United Methodist Health Ministry Fund david@healthfund.org    Kansas Health Philanthropies Release Concerning Projections on Potential Cuts to Medicaid Funding  Hutchinson, Kan. — Medicaid serves as a crucial source of health insurance coverage for Kansas families, including children, parents, seniors, …

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Webinar: Access to Maternity Care in Kansas

WEBINAR: “Access to Maternity Care in Kansas”11-12 p.m. Thursday, June 12 The growing maternal-care desert in Kansas is causing more women in the state to drive long distances for care, with 59% not having any local access to inpatient maternity services. The KU School of Nursing recently released a report detailing the availability of maternity …

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Phillips County Health Systems receives 2024 Janet Sevier Gilbreath Award

HUTCHINSON, KS — The Health Fund honored Phillips County Health Systems with its 2024 Janet Sevier Gilbreath Special Project Recognition Award during a ceremony May 6 in Hutchinson, Kansas. This annual award celebrates a standout project that received grant support during that year from the Health Fund. Phillips County Health Systems (PCHS) was honored for …

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Report details access to maternity care in Kansas

The Health Fund commissioned a report by KU School of Nursing, who worked in collaboration with the Kansas Center for Rural Health, to conduct research on access to maternity care in Kansas. The report was released May 8, 2025. This story below announcing the report originally appeared on KU Medical Center’s website. Report describes the …

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Podcast episode 23: Brenda Sharpe

Welcome to the Pioneers in Health podcast. In this podcast, we share inspiring stories of pioneering leaders from our nation and from your backyard who are working to improve health. In episode 23, we interview Brenda Sharpe, president and CEO, of REACH Healthcare Foundation. REACH is a charitable organization based in Overland Park, Kansas, that …

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Healthy Congregations makes updates to program

Healthy Congregations teams can now earn additional grant dollars with our newly updated program! Teams also can focus their time and resources on fewer projects to have greater impact. We recently announced these changes at our annual Healthy Congregations retreat in April 2025. Check out this video from our Vice President of Programs Katie Schoenhoff …

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Podcast episode 22: Ton Miras Neira

Welcome to the Pioneers in Health podcast. In this podcast, we share inspiring stories of pioneering leaders from our nation and from your backyard who are working to improve health. In episode 22, we interview Ton Mirás Neira, community health worker project manager for the Communities Organizing to Promote Equity (COPE) project at the University …

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Podcast episode 21: Julie Lorenz

Welcome to the Pioneers in Health podcast. In this podcast, we share inspiring stories of pioneering leaders from our nation and from your backyard who are working to improve health. In episode 21, we interview Julie Lorenz, principal consultant at 1898 & Co., the business and technology consulting arm of Burns & McDonnell. Burns & …

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49 organizations urge Governor Kelly to protect Medicaid and veto proviso

The Health Fund and 48 other state organizations sent a letter to Governor Kelly today urging her to protect Medicaid and veto the continuous eligibility proviso included in the state budget.  The proviso will force the state to pay an additional $3-4 million in administrative costs annually, add unnecessary red tape for providers and families, …

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Podcast episode 20: Kathleen Kelly Daughety

Welcome to the Pioneers in Health podcast. In this podcast, we share inspiring stories of pioneering leaders from our nation and from your backyard who are working to improve health. In episode 20, we interview Kathleen Kelly Daughety, vice president of campaigns and civic engagement at Inseparable. Founded in 2020, Inseparable is a national mental …

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