She wasn’t looking for a new job, but when Flint Hills Community Health Center Executive Director Lougene Marsh saw the job listing for director of the Johnson County Health Department, she heard opportunity knocking.
The move will allow Marsh, who has been the executive director at the health center in Emporia since 2001, to be closer to her son, grandchildren, mother and husband, Gary, who has been staying on lakefront property in Missouri.
“Gary and I had said we wanted to end up in Johnson County at one point,” Marsh said. “I was absolutely not looking when this job was announced. I just thought this is was something I should consider. This is one of those things that just came together.”
Marsh considered it. And she landed the job in Johnson County.
“I do think I have a skill set that I could bring to an organization to meet (their) challenges,” she said during an interview this morning.
Marsh will start her new job in Olathe on April 6. Her last day at Emporia’s health center will be March 31.
The Flint Hills Community Health Center has seen a lot of changes under Marsh’s leadership. When she started at the health center, it was still a unit of Lyon County government. Marsh said in her first six months at the center, the Lyon County Commission chairman asked her if she could lead the organization toward independence from county government. She accomplished that and a score of other things as well, including more than doubling the number of patients served at the center and doubling its medical staff.
The center also experienced many other changes during Marsh’s leadership, including moving to electronic medical records and setting up a low-cost prescription drug program.
“I had the luxury of coming to what was a very strong organization in 2001, but there was potential for growth,” she said.
Early in Marsh’s tenure, behavioral services were added to the center. Later, the Jones Trust approached the center about adding dental services. The dental clinic was expanded from two chairs to four. Through a $576,574 Dental Hub grant through Jones Trust, the dental clinic again doubled in size with a complete remodel in 2008.
“My whole goal has always been to try to expand services and provide more access to care,” Marsh said.
In 2003, another provider was added through a grant, which also allowed for extended evening hours and Saturday hours at the clinic.
The Lyon County Sanitation Code also was formed during Marsh’s leadership — something the county should be proud of, Marsh added.
More staff has been added through the years including a pediatrician, more nurse practitioners and more dental staff.
“Just all along, there’s been continued growth,” Marsh said.
Project Teen, the center’s teen pregnancy prevention program, is another program that has continued to stay in operation.
“I’ve been very glad we could sustain the teen pregnancy prevention program,” Marsh said.
Marsh said she’s also pleased with the public-health work the center does, including the mass vaccination clinics and other public health services.
The center has been fortunate in funding as well, Marsh added.
Chase, Morris and Coffey counties were added over time to the center’s child-care licensing program. Marsh said one of the challenges smaller centers face is providing services with limited staff. Partnering with other agencies provides a solution to the problem, she said.
While there have been many positives, Marsh said the job didn’t come without disappointments as well. An attempt to run a satellite clinic in Osage County wasn’t received as well as hoped and eventually that contract was ended because of lack of public response.
“The community response did not allow us to sustain that,” Marsh said.
The health center also did a extensive study on the possibility of managing Osage County’s health department. The Osage County commissioners decided it wasn’t the right move for the county. Another disappointment, Marsh said, adding that county government bodies have to make the decision as to what is best for their county.
Despite a few disappointments, Marsh said many of her memories are good ones, which makes the disappointments easy to deal with.
“Overall, when I look back at the eight years it’s been the good and the successes that (I) remember,” Marsh said.
Health centers in general will be facing many challenges in the future. Some of those challenges the Flint Hills Community Health Center is already responding to. The center and region are already moving forward with an accreditation study. Accreditation may be something centers nationwide will have to face in the future.
“The next big thing is accreditation,” Marsh said.
In the economic downturn, centers are facing more demand for services and the possibility of less funding. However, many federal funds are safe and centers now have the opportunity to apply for one-time grants as a part of President Barack Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Marsh said much of the federal money is met with a match from state general funds.
“I don’t see that as much of a risk,” Marsh said.
What Marsh does see at risk is other state funds. Community health centers did take a hit this year in those funds.
“It will be one of the challenges for whomever is selected to fill this position,” Marsh said.
The Johnson County Health Department is about a third larger than Lyon County’s Marsh said. The center operates with a $10 million budget. As when she took the helm in Emporia, Marsh said Johnson County’s health department has opportunity for growth. The center doesn’t have a comprehensive plan. And working in a larger public health center presents many challenges, including a larger area to partner with.
But, Marsh said she is up to the challenge and ready to start a new chapter in her life.
“It has been a great privilege to serve as executive director of Flint Hills Community Health Center-Lyon County Health Department,” Marsh said. “And I value all of the staff and the community partnerships that have allowed the organization to protect the health of the public and to increase access to medical, dental and behavioral health services.”