Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Selects LiveWell Finney County Community Health Coalition to join Pathways to a Healthy Kansas Initiative in Finney County
TOPEKA, Kan. (Jan. 17, 2025) — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS) announces it has selected the LiveWell Finney County Community Health Coalition (LiveWell) in Finney County, as a grantee for its third phase of the Pathways to a Healthy Kansas (Pathways) initiative. BCBSKS will partner with 19 community coalitions to improve healthy eating, active living, commercial tobacco prevention and mental health.
The Pathways program was created to inspire long-lasting, community-wide health and well-being in communities across Kansas. Since the Pathways initiative began in 2016, BCBSKS has facilitated 748 grants/projects in communities throughout Kansas.
“LiveWell Finney County is a strong force for good in their community and we’re thrilled to have them continue that work through the Pathways initiative,” said Matt All, President/CEO of BCBSKS. “For more than 80 years, we have been dedicated to helping not only our members, but all Kansans live better, healthier lives. Through Pathways, we are helping remove barriers to accessing healthy foods, increasing physical activity, preventing commercial tobacco use and improving mental health.”
Each Pathways community will receive coordination assistance from BCBSKS to get started. In addition, organizations within Finney County will have the opportunity to apply for non-competitive implementation grants to fund projects that will help reach LiveWell’s goals for the initiative.
LiveWell’s goals with the Pathways to a Healthy Kansas grant focus on addressing key community needs and fostering a healthier, more equitable environment for all residents. These goals include expanding food pantry access to the east side of Garden City to improve food security, completing a comprehensive 2026-2029 Community Health Needs Assessment to guide future initiatives, and increasing opportunities for youth to engage in physical activity. Additionally, LiveWell aims to enhance the community’s walkability through targeted improvements in the built environment, establish a community kitchen hub for educational classes and community-driven initiatives, and advocate for policy implementation that supports sustainable health improvements. Together, these efforts will create systemic, long-term benefits for the health and well-being of Finney County residents.
“We are looking forward to seeing the great connections and resources that can help take our community’s health and well-being to the next level,” said Beth Koksal. “We are looking forward to partnering with other organizations to help make Finney County a healthier place for all.”
The Pathways initiative combines community-wide, evidence-based solutions and practices to help Kansas communities improve active living, healthy eating, behavioral health and commercial tobacco prevention and is structured around five pathways that require collaboration across a community. These pathways include economic stability, education access and quality, health care access and quality, neighborhoods and built environment, and social and community context. To learn more about Pathways, visit bcbsks.com/blue-health-initiatives/pathways.
About Finney County Community Health Coalition
The Finney County Community Health Coalition consists of members from health social service, education, community, and other service providers. The Coalition provides its community with access to information and services that promote good health and well-being for all residents.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas
For more than 80 years, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas has built a reputation of trust with its members and contracting providers by providing outstanding customer service while quickly and accurately processing claims; fairly administering benefit plans and contracts; offering programs, services and tools to help members improve or maintain their health; and operating under the highest ethical standards while being good stewards of premium dollars. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and is the state’s largest insurer, serving all Kansas counties except Johnson and Wyandotte. For more information, visit bcbsks.com.