About AHCJ: General News

AHCJ announces 2007-08 Midwest Health Journalism Program Fellows Date: 07/10/07

Press release: Foundations support launch of Midwest Health Journalism Program

Call for applications

Advisory Board

Funders:
• The Kansas Health Foundation, Wichita, Kan.
• The Sunflower Foundation, Topeka, Kan.
• The United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, Hutchinson, Kan.
• REACH Healthcare Foundation, Merriam, Kan.
• Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City, Kansas City, Mo.
• Missouri Foundation for Health, St. Louis

The Association of Health Care Journalists has named the inaugural class of the Midwest Health Journalism Program, an annual fellowship program for reporters and editors from Kansas and Missouri. The fellows are:

  • Joy Robertson Fountain, News Anchor/Reporter, KOLR-Springfield

  • Betsy Lee, Health & Medical Reporter, St. Joseph News-Press

  • Teresa Snow, News Anchor/Medical Reporter, KRCG-Jefferson City

  • Chris King, Editorial Director, The St. Louis American

  • Karen Shideler, Health & Fitness Reporter, The Wichita Eagle

  • Bryan Thompson, Health Reporter, Kansas Public Radio, Salina

  • Dave Ranney, Senior Writer/Editor, KHI News Service, Topeka

  • Kelley Weiss, Health Reporter, KCUR (NPR), Kansas City

  • Rob Roberts, Health Care Reporter, Kansas City Business Journal

  • Julius Karash, Health Reporter, The Kansas City Star

Midwest Health Journalism Program logoThe aim of the program is to provide already-established journalists with the tools needed to improve the depth and amount of coverage focused on critical state and local health issues. The result should be a better-educated public and more accountability for policymakers, say the program planners.

The program involves a cooperative effort among AHCJ, the Kansas Health Institute and the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas.

AHCJ, based at the Missouri School of Journalism, will conduct the training program through its Center for Excellence in Health Care Journalism. The Kansas Health Institute will administer the grant and coordinate overall planning and marketing efforts, while the University of Kansas will evaluate the training project and its results.

Training will include:

  • a Saturday kickoff meeting in Kansas City in July
  • a three-day reporting boot camp in Columbia, Mo., in August
  • a two-day trip to the CDC
  • a single state government day in Topeka or Jefferson City early in the year
  • a four-day trip to Health Journalism 2008, to be held in Washington, D.C., next spring
  • a two-day Rural Health Journalism Workshop in mid-2008.

Each fellow will be provided an appropriate mentor from the 1,000-plus membership of AHCJ to discuss story ideas, best sources and story approaches throughout the year.