Allen County will support efforts by the Southeast Kansas Health Department to have Women, Infants and Children Program opportunities available daily through its Iola office.
DeeDee Martin and Sara Frederick, co-administrators of the health office here, were told by commissioners Tuesday they would have County Counselor Alan Weber write a supportive letter.
As is, WIC offerings are available one day a month in Allen County through the Crawford County health department. Otherwise pregnant women and mothers of children 5 and younger have to drive to Pittsburg for services.
WIC, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, provides grants to states for supplemental food, health care referrals and nutrition education for low-income pregnant women and to infants and children up to age 5 who are considered at risk nutritionally.
Allen County once had a daily presence by WIC, but lost the service several years ago. Martin declined to elaborate.
Martin said advantage would be to give pregnant women and children in low-income families a chance for better nutrition, including supplemental food for both mothers-to-be and children, and health care referrals locally on a daily basis.
Martin also asked whether space might be available for the health department in the medical building adjacent to Allen County Hospital, when the new hospital opens on North Kentucky.
The health department for years has been in the old three-story U.S. Weather Bureau building, 221 S. Jefferson Ave. Stairs at the front of the building lead to its main floor, where immunizations and most health procedures are done, which makes access difficult for the elderly and handicapped.
A ramp on the north side had been considered, but its cost and that of increasing the size of an entry door are prohibitive, Martin said.
Commissioners later mentioned the request to Weber. He said it was a possibility once the hospital and associated services moved to the new facility.
Low-income services might return
