HHS providing services from new location

Families and children throughout Southwest Nebraska receive services through the combined efforts of a team of 21 employees at the Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services’ McCook office. The staff members include, from left, Pam Herron, Dwana Flaig, Bethany Monnahan, Karen Roland, Linda Schliep, Bonnie Liggett, Anita Foley, Pat Eilenberger, Kathy Kinkade, Abby Barth, Leila Koetter, Nicole Peterson, Cathy Bryant, Debbie Cox, Clay Jordan, Georgia Kautz, Marshall Erickson, Angela Ebert and Deb Johnson. Staff members not pictured are Barb Hinz and Dominique Frease.

Gene O. Morris/McCook Gazette

McCOOK, Neb. — The new location of the McCook Office of the Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services — on the northeastern corner of the U.S. Highways 6-34 and U.S. Highway 83 west intersection — is symbolic of the importance the McCook office has in serving the citizens of a vast section of Southwest and South Central Nebraska.

That’s because the west McCook intersection is the busiest in this area and the McCook office of the Health & Human Services is a vital provider of services to those with the greatest needs in this section of Nebraska.

The new location — in the 6,500 square foot building which formerly housed the Burns Podiatric Laboratory — is the fourth different place the Health & Human Services office has occupied in McCook in the past half-century.

Before its move to the current address, 301 North Highway 83, the McCook H&HS headquarters occupied the upper floor of the former Wells Fargo Bank building at 108 West D Street in downtown McCook.

Prior to moving to the bank building in 2001, the Health & Human Services office shared quarters with Farm Credit Services at 1700 North Highway 83 and, before that, the office was housed in the Red Willow County Courthouse.

The spacious offices are needed to accommodate the Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services staff, which includes 21 employees in the McCook office, as well as additional staff members in North Platte, who routinely travel to McCook to serve the residents of Southwest Nebraska.

“We are a close-knit group,” said Dwana Flaig and Nicki Peterson, the supervisors of the major services provided through the McCook office.

Dwana, who oversees Medicaid and long-term care services, and Nicki, who supervises services for children and families, say the closeness of the staff is the result of the highly sensitive and confidential nature of the human services’ mission.

“It touches your heart,” the supervisors say, pointing to their work with the very young and very old as being especially meaningful. “Many of our clients, especially the elderly, may not have ‘that person’ to help them navigate our system. We recognize this and offer support and/or answer questions as a means to simplify the process. In that way, we often become their person,” Dwana and Nicki explained.

Through the years, Health & Human Services have changed. For example, there is no longer a “food stamp” program. Now, families and individuals in need of food assistance receive “EBTs,” which is an abbreviation which stands for “Electronic Benefits Transfer.” Accepted by most supermarkets and grocery stores, the EBTs can be used to buy food, but other items, such as tobacco, alcohol, pet food and paper products, are excluded.

Other program areas available through the McCook office of H&HS are services for developmental disabilities, public health, economic assistance and resource development.

While the work can be heart-breaking, Dwana and Nicki say there are great rewards as well. “It means so much to us that our efforts can change lives. We are thankful for all the support we receive throughout the area from law enforcement, county attorneys, judges, home health, nursing homes, schools and foster and adoptive parents.”

If you know of someone in need, you are urged to contact the hotline to report adult and child abuse and neglect. The number to call, 24 hours a day, is 1-800-652-1999. To reach the McCook staff directly, the number to call is 308-345-8420.