MCH Director
Kansas Department of Health and Environment
Kansas City, Kansas
Mrs. Smith has a Bachelor's of Science in Child and Family Development and a Master's of Public Health from Missouri State University. Having worked in the health care field in some capacity since 16 years of age, she has found a passion working in public health.
Her public health journey began in a family physicians office, moving through system with hospital outpatient surgery, home health and inpatient care, and then in the non-profit sector with Children’s Miracle Network in various Director roles within the organization and to support families of children with special medical needs. Upon graduating with her Master's and an internship with the Kansas City, MO Health Department, she began working for the Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) Program at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) coordinating a systems-change grant focused on youth with disabilities adn then assisting with alignment of the program’s state activities with national performance measures and initiatives. She was appointed as the Kansas Title V CSHCN Director in 2013, overseeing five state-wide programs (Metabolic Newborn Screening, Early Hearing Detection and Intervention, Infant/Toddler Early Intervention, Special Health Care Needs, and Birth Defects Surveillance). Mrs. Smith has also been the visionary and lead for the Kansas Title V Family and Consumer Partnership activities, including a robust and active Family Advisory Council. Mrs. Smith transitioned to the Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Director position in November 2021, and quickly established a team to build and maintain a strong foundation of supports available to Kansas families through the Title V MCH Block Grant and Bureau-wide family and consumer engagement initiatives. Her public health passions include strategic planning, program and systems alignment, and assuring systems of care for mothers, babies, children, and families, particularly those with special health care needs.
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Tuesday, May 24, 2022
3:30 PM – 4:40 PM ET