Community Health Corner
March 10, 2026
Submitted by Elaine Johannes
America’s Health Ranking Kansas Summary Report for 2025, lists Kansas as number 27 of the 50 states in overall health of its residents. Let’s all pull together to raise that ranking! K-State Extension is working with others to improve everyone’s health.
From urban, metro, suburban, rural and frontier locations, K-State Extension works in partnership with communities to deliver meaningful, timely relevant programs and initiatives for health and well-being.
The following resources help us improve well-being and achieve national Healthy People 2030 objectives.
KSDE Summer Meals Program for Community Organizations: The Kansas Department of Education’s summer meal program is designed to fill the nutrition gap that occurs during the summer, and makes sure children can get the nutrition they need.
Administered by the Food and Nutrition Service in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, summer meal programs provide free, nutritious meals to kids ages 1 to 18. Many sites provide not just meals, but educational, enrichment, and recreational activities that help children continue to learn and stay safe when school is not in session.
Information about the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) or the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) is available here. Contact KSDE Child Nutrition and Wellness at 785-296-2276 if you have questions.
Move Your Body, Heal Your Mind: The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California has issued a special edition newsletter highlighting science-based articles and podcasts that draw links between movement and mental health.
According to Greater Good, the mind-body connection was once controversial among doctors and scientists. But through research, we now understand that dance, exercise and traditional practices like yoga and other movements support positive emotions, connect us to others, and can even help resolve conflicts.
Learn more from the Greater Good Science Center here.
Resources to Support Teen Boys’ Digital Lives: According to Child Trends, a leading nonpartisan private organization that designs, conducts, interprets and communicates rigorous, high-quality research on children, youth and families’ well-being, many teenage boys say they’re online almost constantly.
Child Trends has developed a set of resources to help adults better understand teen boys’ digital lives and support safe, respectful and healthy relationships — both online and offline. Kansas CTC (Communities That Care) has data and reports on the mental health, school/community experiences and belonging of Kansas teens here.
Opportunities:
- 2026 Kansas Governor's Public Health Conference, March 30 - April 1 at the Hyatt Regency Wichita. Nearly 600 community health professionals, colleagues and allies are expected to attend. The conference agenda is here; and register here.
- 2026 Kansas Governor’s Conference on Aging, Sept. 29-20 in Lawrence. The 2026 Kansas Governor’s Conference on Aging aims to build on last year’s momentum to convene health professionals, policymakers, students, educators and community leaders from across the state to share ideas, strengthen cross-sector partnerships and elevate aging-related work across Kansas.
For general inquiries or to join our 2026 sponsor interest list, please contact Kansas Health Institute: conferenceinfo@khi.org.
- Call for Abstracts - 2026 KPHA (Kansas Public Health Association) conference, Oct. 5-6 in Manhattan. KPHA is accepting workshop, presentation proposals aligned with the conference theme highlighting innovative approaches to navigating changes, fostering organizational and community resilience, strengthening adaptive leadership, and driving sustainable improvement in public and community health systems. Submit your abstract here by April 14.
- Call for Proposals – 50th Annual Governor’s Conference on Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, Oct. 20-22 in Wichita. This milestone conference marks 50 years of bringing together professionals and community leaders committed to strengthening families and preventing child abuse and neglect. More than 500 attendees gather for three powerful days of learning, connection and recognition. Submit your proposal here by April 17 .
For more information, check out the Kansas health data dashboards and resources at Kansas Health Matters or contact Elaine Johannes, ejohanne@ksu.edu; and Stephanie Gutierrez, smgutier@k-state.edu.
