Report Publish Date: March 2021

This report examines decisions officials in Finney County, Kan., made during the pandemic about preventing the spread of COVID-19 and reducing its economic effects, as well as the impact those decisions had on children and families.

Primary Takeaways

“Efforts to support health and economic response to COVID-19 largely prioritized individual freedom and economic recovery in Finney County,” the authors write.

Some families struggled with a lack of paid leave and inadequate childcare; those facing language barriers had difficulty accessing government benefits. Local leaders opted out of a statewide mask mandate, then opted into a later mandate. Local social service agencies doubled down on efforts to support families, and after early outbreaks, the meatpacking industry supported mitigation efforts.  

Overview and Objectives

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation began tracking response and recovery in nine communities that were part of its Sentinel Communities Project, including Finney County, Kan.

In this report, the authors wanted to explore the effect Finney County's pandemic response had on children and families.

Hypothesis or Approach 

The authors collected information available through early February 2021. 

How This Influences Change

Understanding how local officials responded to the pandemic and how policies affected children and families can help shape future policies and responses to new health threats.