At Barton County Health Department, we believe the citizens of the County should have the opportunity to become happy, healthy, and well informed. We believe in a work environment and programs characterized by honest, caring, respectful, dependable, and responsive service. Our mission is to promote better health through education and provide health care services for the prevention of disease and restoration of health to Barton County residents and the surrounding area.
The Barton County Health Department started operation on August 15, 1966, financed and established as an Office of Economic Opportunity program, with the cooperation of the Missouri Division of Health, Barton County Court, and citizens of the county.
Concerned citizens seeing the need for a County Health Department persisted in obtaining federal funds with which to set up a health department.
Support through three elections came from the newspapers, physicians, schools, churches, civic organizations, and responsible citizens.
The Barton County Health Department began in the basement of the courthouse.
On June 3, 1969, the voters of Barton County approved a tax of 10 cents on the one hundred dollar valuation for the support of the Health Department.
In 1980 citizens were coming into the office for services or requesting home care visits. Home nursing care would permit families to care for patients in the home, thus reducing health care costs. Upon approval of the Board of Trustees, the application was made, and on June 17, 1982, the Barton County Health Department/Home Health Agency was certified.
Take a look at our many trusted partners.
Other services available at the Health Department provided by our partners include: Avenues of Mental Health Counseling, Economic Security of Southwest Missouri, Beltone Hearing, and Access Family Medical Medicaid enrollments.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has published A Multi Year Look at Maternal Mortality in Missouri: 2018-2020 Annual Report on behalf of the state’s Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review (PAMR) Board.
With the passing of Amendment 3 in November 2022, the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) was tasked with creating a lottery process to grant a limited number of new small business licenses called “microbusinesses.” Electronic applications will be accepted beginning this Thursday. More information defining this license type is available on the microbusiness webpage.