With equal parts reflection and projection, David Toland spoke Friday about Thrive Allen County’s ambitious plans for 2016 and beyond.
Toland’s comments came during Thrive’s annual awards banquet at Miller’s On Madison, in front of a capacity crowd of more than 250.
Thrive’s growth as an organization dedicated to improving health and lifestyles in Allen County has become evident in tangible, measurable ways, Toland noted.
He pointed to several examples, such as the development of the Lehigh Portland Trail, which should open in 2016; serving each community in Allen County in whatever means possible through community conversations; and seeing civic events such as the Charley Melvin Mad Bomber Run For Your Life or the Portland Alley Pedalfest continue to grow.
“We’ve tried from the start to be meaningful and relevant everywhere in the county,” Toland said. “We did a good job in some areas. Other areas we need to do better. That is our spirit. That is our mission.”
Among Thrive’s other 2016 plans are to continue with its Community Engagement Initiative, designed to help communities accomplish their diverse goals with a grant provided by the Kansas Health Foundation. “We’re not here to say what (the communities’) goals are. We’re here to make it happen.
“We’re also focused on a laser-like way on reducing the number of uninsured in Allen County,” Toland continued. “With Lisse Regehr leading the effort, in the last three years in Allen County, we’ve cut the number of uninsured from 1,800 to 1,200. That’s a big deal.
“That’s been made possible because we’ve been aggressive about going out and making sure people understand that the American Healthcare Act is here, it’s here to stay, it’s here to help, and it’s a resource.”
Toland also spoke about Allen County’s Connectors Program, a group of local volunteers who steer those in need to potential resources for help.
The program is funded by the Rural Health Initiative and has seen great success already, Toland said.
“The Connectors, led by Angie Murphy, are taking a huge number of calls from people who need help, but don’t know where to go.”
The Rural Health Initiative continues to grow in other ways, “and it’s really gained its own legs,” by having different entities, such as the Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center, the Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department, Hope Unlimited and USD 257 and 258 involved.
“We’re also constantly in the process of reconsidering everything we do,” Toland said. “Nothing is sacred. That means a lot of things we once did, we cut. Who remembers the Allen County Meltdown. We used to have the Portland Alley Marathon. This year, we’re spinning off the Jingle Bell Jog” which is being coordinated this year by the Iola High School track team.
“I don’t like to run things,” he said. “We like to start things at Thrive, to get the plates spinning, hand it off and help other people and other organizations to take the leadership role. That’s our model and it works.”
ON THE economic development front, Toland spoke about Thrive’s support efforts throughout the county, from supporting Humboldt’s downtown revitalization efforts, seeing Moran retain its grocery store, and trying to get a Dollar General Store in LaHarpe.
“We need more tools,” he said. “We need a revolving loan fund in this county so that we can help incubate small businesses. We need good incubator spaces, physical spaces to get small businesses off the ground. But, we are very grateful for the spirit of partnership and cooperation we’ve seen in Allen County between governments, City of Iola and Iola Industries.”
TOLAND’S most pointed comments came at the conclusion of his 20-minute presentation, when he spoke about Thrive’s advocacy efforts.
Thrive is working in league with Allen Community College students to promote a tobacco ban at the Iola campus.
“We want this to be a student effort and student-led,” Toland said.
Thrive also is promoting a “complete streets” ordinance in both Humboldt and Iola.
“That means when a street is repaved or rebuilt, you take into account pedestrians and bicycles,” Toland said. “In the 1950s, when we stopped building sidewalks, you can see nationally how obesity rates started to climb. People got less healthy.”
Iola has begun to adapt in recent years, by adding sidewalks to its street improvement effort.
“It’s happening naturally in Iola,” Toland said. “(Assistant City Administrator) Corey Schinstock has made sure that when a street is redone, there are sidewalks and curb cuts. They’ve done it right. We want to make sure this has the force of policy or law.”
Toland also commended Iola commissioners for installing new sidewalks, especially the one on north State Street from the Iola Shopping Plaza to Walmart.
THRIVE WILL remain an outspoken advocate of Medicaid expansion in Kansas, which state lawmakers have resisted.
“We enroll people in health insurance at Thrive,” Toland said. “We have people come in who work at McDonald’s or Walmart. Or in the case of a single mother who has three jobs, none of which provides health insurance.. She earns $12,000 a year between the three. If she were by herself, she’d be in the sweet spot, meaning she could get financial support to get health insurance.
“However, she has a child,” he continued. “And because she has a child, she doesn’t make enough money to get help, which makes no sense. It’s a disincentive to do the right thing. That’s because Kansas has refused to expand Medicaid.”
Medicaid has a direct impact on every Allen Countian, he noted, because of the long-term sustainability of Allen County Regional Hospital.
Expanded Medicaid would mean as much as $1 million annually to ACRH, Toland said.
Toland also spoke about the closure of Independence’s Mercy Hospital.
“We are very fortunate that we’re in a much, much stronger position because we’re a critical access hospital, but if that kind of thing can happen in Independence, nobody’s safe. We need to hold our legislators accountable for expanding Medicaid in the state. It has a financial impact. Not to mention, it’s morally reprehensible not to,” to which the audience broke out into sustained applause.
