Medical facilities throughout Benton County are on the move toward improvement and increased services. The tax-supported Benton County Health Department is part of that movement. September 2nd they moved into a larger building located at 1238 Commercial Street in Warsaw next door to their previous location. The new facility has 9,000 square feet, about 50% more than their older building, and allows their services to be offered on one level.
The public is invited to tour the building during their Open House scheduled for Friday, September 26, 3:00-6:00 PM.
Time has brought many changes to the Health Department that opened in Lincoln in 1975 with three employees. In 1984 Home Health was added providing nursing, therapy and aide services so that recovering hospital patients can return to their homes. In 1992 homemaker services contracted by the State of Missouri for homebound individuals were added. In 1996, Benton County Hospice was formed. Their team of health professionals and volunteers aid patients and their families during the last months of life. Currently, approximately 85% of the hospice patients in the county utilize the services of Benton County Hospice. Contract school nursing and school socialworker services, environmental, communicable disease and bioterrorism efforts have brought additional challenges and services.
In 1998, citizens of Benton County voted to raise their funding of the Health Department. That steady funding has helped the department increase their services and improve their facilities. Financial support comes in many forms including 60% reimbursements for services from Medicare and others, 25% from the county tax, 10% from state grants, 4% from donations and 1% from interest on investments.
Now, about 80 healthcare professionals are employed by the Health Department in jobs including certified nursing assistants and homemaker aides, licensed practical nurses, school nurses, and registered nurses, environmental specialists, physical and occupational therapists, WIC nutrition specialist (Women Infants and Children Program), administrative assistants and administrators. As Benton County’s population grows, the Health Department continues to provide “caring from the heart” to our Benton County residents.