Central Kansas Mental Health Center
Central Kansas Mental Health Center (CKMHC) has been awarded a four-year, $4 million grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
CKMHC will receive $1 million/year over four years to continue the implementation of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model of care.
Funding will support the expansion of required CCBHC best practices and introduce new programs. This includes expanding co-responders, establishing a mobile crisis team, providing community education and outreach, and continuing to attract and grow professional staff. These programs will increase access to care, facilitate crisis intervention, and improve care coordination for patients.
“This is an exciting step forward,” stated Glenna Phillips, CKMHC’s Executive Director. “We are growing quickly to meet the demand for care. Funding will provide vital capacity for mental health and substance care, and build the infrastructure required to meet the rising need, while integrating within the health care system and community support services.”
Phillips stresses that this funding will have far-reaching impact. “As an organization we understand that mental health care happens wherever a person is, and we know that mental health crises require a community-wide response,” she said. “This grant is really outward-focused, it will help us solidify partnerships and provide holistic, integrated, and community-based care to those in need.”
Jennifer Kaufman, CCBHC Project Director, has been an integral part of the CCBHC transition from the beginning. “CKMHC has worked hard for the past 18 months to successfully implement the CCBHC model of care,” she said. “SAMHSA funding allows us to continue to refine processes, revitalize services we know our community needs, and ensure sustainability when grant funding ends. We look forward to strengthening our community partnerships as we continue this transformational process.”
CKMHC began the transition to a CCBHC in 2021 with support from a two-year SAMHSA grant. At that time the State of Kansas also committed to the CCBHC model
with the signing of HB 2208. The Kansas Department of Aging and Disabilities (KDADS), which administers the CCBHC program statewide, hopes that all 26 of Kansas’ Community Mental Health Centers will be CCBHCs by the end of 2024.
CKMHC’s initial SAMHSA grant will end in early 2023, but the two-year funding has supported the implementation of new services and has increased CKMHC staff to meet growing needs. New services include Same Day Access and Patient Navigators, and staff has continued to grow to over 160. CKMHC received provisional CCBHC licensure from KDADS in May of 2022.