Masks will now be required within Flint Hills Community Health Center following action by the Board of Directors Tuesday.
The board unanimously approved a mandatory mask-wearing policy for all areas of the center as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. The policy will apply to all employees and visitors of the health center according to FHCHC Executive Director Renee Hively unless an individual has an underlying medical condition preventing them from wearing a mask.
The policy comes as two FHCHC staffers are currently out after testing positive for coronavirus and several close contacts have had to quarantine. Hively says there is no exact end date for the policy and it will be continuously reviewed and updated as needed.
This expands the prior policy of mask use in all public areas as well as clinical areas where six-foot social distancing could not be maintained.
In other business Tuesday, Hively updated the health center’s contract situation with Lyon County. According to Hively, the health center’s requst for proposal is ready to be sent and will be delivered to the county on Friday.
As KVOE has reported recently, the county has elected not to renew the health center’s contract for 2021. Hively had mentioned this came as a surprise to the health center as no indications of displeasure with the agreement had ever been made known by the county in the past. Lyon County Commissioner Rollie Martin has stated the county’s intention with the decision was to simply weigh its options for providing the best service to the community for an appropriate cost.
Hively says regardless, she can’t help but feel the decision was somewhat personal.
Along with FHCHC, Newman Regional Health is also planning to submit an RFP for the contract. The current contract between the county and FHCHC provides $450,000 per year to the health center ($2.25 million over five years.)
Hively says there are some concerns with the health center being able to meet insurance requirements set forth by the county, however, she is confident in the center’s ability to win the contract for the coming year.
All documents are due to the county by noon Friday.
Separately Tuesday, the finance committee report reflected a net gain of $413,000 against a projected gain of $89,000. This brings the center’s year to date gain to $275,000.
The FHCHC Board of Directors will reconvene for its monthly meeting in November.
