Riley County has a new health department director.
Jennifer Green, a student at the University of Oklahoma’s College of Public Health, will start in August after graduating from her program with a doctorate in public health.
Green will replace interim director Lisa Ross, who took over for after former director Brenda Nickel left the job in December.
Riley County commission chairman Ben Wilson officially introduced Green to the Riley County Public Health Advisory Council during a council meeting Wednesday.
Before attending the University of Oklahoma, Green finished her bachelor’s and master’s degree at Baylor University. Green has done research on public health in San Antonio, Texas and Oklahoma City.
Green told KMAN that Riley County’s reputation as being a healthy place initially attracted her to the job, but said there is still room to improve. Among the mental health problems currently plaguing Kansas, Green mentioned that the county’s staggeringly low amount of people with a primary care physician needs to be fixed.
“If you don’t have a primary care physician, it’s really challenging to access preventative health care, which saves dollars down the road,” she said.
Green is eager to get started later this summer.
“I’m excited to start working in Riley County and getting to know the staff, and all of the successes and challenges Riley County has had,” she said.
In other items, commissioners set a date for the county’s tax foreclosure sale Thursday. Commissioners approved a tentative date of Sept. 27.
Properties that have shown delinquent payments between the years 2007-2010 will be included in the sale.
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