17 May 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Wichita and Sedgwick County got a major boost Wednesday to bring a mental health hospital to the area. But a lot of other area health care providers are also winners.
The state has approved $25 million for a south-central Kansas psychiatric hospital. The money comes from the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS).
Mental health care hospital in Sedgwick County
Sedgwick County will use the money to create a new 50-bed mental health hospital, which will be owned and operated by the state. Currently, the only state psychiatric hospitals are in Larned and Osawatomie.
Officials say the facility will address the shortage of in-patient beds and allow patients to remain closer to home and family. Plus, additional beds will ease jail overcrowding by shortening the wait time for inmates awaiting competency evaluations or treatment.
The facility will be developed with room for expansion.
At today’s Sedgwick County Board of Commissioners meeting, the commissioners heard that the $25 million announcement was imminent. They did not know it would happen today. Governor Laura Kelly issued a news release at 1 p.m. about the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) grant.
“My administration continues to be laser-focused on increasing access to mental health resources and care, which is fundamental to safe and healthy communities,” Kelly said.
The $25 million for the south-central Kansas mental health care facility is just part of $65.4 million in grants announced. Grants are also going toward a new psychiatric hospital in Olathe, a WSU/KU joint health sciences education center in Wichita, the hospital in Derby, and the osteopathic college in Wichita.
“Kansans with disabilities, long-term care needs, and those suffering from mental illness will be the ones to realize the positive changes and impact we’ll no doubt see as a result of programs that will be implemented by our awardees,” Scott Brunner, KDADS deputy secretary of hospitals and facilities, said in a news release.
KVC Health Systems: New Olathe Psychiatric Hospital Joint Venture – $12.7 million
KVC Health Systems has formed a joint venture to build a new 72-bed state-of-the-art psychiatric hospital in Olathe. The project includes building three-24 bed units, which will provide an additional 48 youth beds and 24 adult beds to the mental health system.
Wichita State University and the University of Kansas: Health Sciences Education Center (HSEC) – $15 million
Wichita State University and the University of Kansas are partnering to build a joint health sciences education center (HSEC) in Wichita. The health sciences complex will centralize health care education, collaboration, and research. Students will receive state-of-the-art health care education that will ultimately improve the quality of health and health outcomes for all Kansans. Initially, approximately 3,000 students and 200 faculty and staff will be housed at the center with opportunities for growth in existing and new programs.
Rock Regional Hospital: Growing Community Capacity – $5 million
As a small, independent community hospital, Rock Regional is working to address the needs of an aging population, declining rural hospital access, and overwhelmed urban emergency rooms. Rock Regional will undertake an expansion of service providers to serve the community with additional health care capacity.
Kansas Health Science Center: Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine – $5 million
The Kansas Health Science Center – Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine class size will nearly double the number of student doctors over the next two years. Once fully operational, 170 new physicians will be produced annually. Additionally, there is a focus on initiatives to retain physicians in Kansas.
The University of Kansas Health System Care Collaborative: ASPIRE Rural Transformation Model – $1.1 million
The University of Kansas Health System Care Collaborative is a clinically integrated network comprised of 82 health care providers across 72 rural Kansas counties, actively assisting them in the implementation of new models of care. The project will improve health outcomes in rural communities by strengthening the local delivery system through new models of care while expanding successful Medicare programs to Medicaid beneficiaries through centralized telehealth services. Target outcomes are improved quality outcomes for the management of chronic conditions, reduced avoidable emergency room visits and hospital admissions, and reduced hospital readmissions. The initial cohort will involve rural hospitals and clinics in northwest and central Kansas.
Windsor Place: Nursing Homes Without Walls – $1.6 million
Windsor Place will conduct a rigorous examination of its technology bundle to improve consumer well-being and impact nursing home admissions, emergency room visits, hospital admissions, and the overall cost of caring for seniors.