More than 300 mental health advocates to urge lawmakers to "Stop the cuts," warn of looming crisis

Topeka—Hundreds of mental health advocates from across Kansas will gather Thursday to send a strong and urgent message to legislators: Further state cuts to mental health services will weaken services, endanger lives, and send more people to emergency rooms, state hospitals and jails.

"The Kansas mental health system has reached its breaking point, and the evidence is all around us," said Glen Yancey, president of the Kansas Mental Health Coalition. "State hospitals are operating above budgeted capacity. Mental health centers are reducing their scope of treatment. Jails are at capacity, as individuals wait for months for competency evaluations."

During a morning event at Memorial Hall, Mental Health advocates will stress concern about a host of issues, including cuts to state hospitals and proposed cuts to the state’s community mental health centers. Over the last four years, the mental health centers have absorbed a 65-percent cut in the mental health reform grants they receive. Those cuts could continue. For the 2012 budget, Gov. Sam Brownback has proposed eliminating state aid funding (allotted at $10.2 since the 1980s) and funding of Family Centered Systems of Care ($5 million). The state aid grant is largely used to support care for those who don’t have insurance or Medicaid. The FCSC fund provides children with a severe mental illness, and their families, with critical services such as psychiatric medication, therapy, rehab services, and parent support.

The SRS-operated state psychiatric hospitals—Osawatomie State Hospital, Larned State Hospital and Rainbow Mental Health Facility—are facing stagnant budgets, crumbling and condemned buildings, and increased patient loads. In the midst of all this, advocates noted, SRS recently announced that it would close 14 of the 50 beds at Rainbow this month.

"The combination of cuts to the hospitals and community-based care makes it more difficult to treat people experiencing a mental health crisis," Yancey said. "The resources for these people, many of them without insurance or Medicaid, are dwindling. Undoubtedly, these cuts will put more stress on emergency rooms and jails."

Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer and SRS Secretary Robert Siedlecki are expected to attend the event and address the advocates.

In the afternoon, the advocates will fan out across the Capitol to speak with their hometown senators and representatives. They will share stories about the positive impact mental health services have had on their lives and provide data that demonstrates the value of the state’s investment in those services. Among other things, they will urge their legislators to:

Oppose cutting to $10.2 million from State Aid to Community Mental Health Centers.
Oppose the deletion of the Family Centered Systems of Care program from Children’s Initiatives Fund.
Oppose cutting $500,000 salaries and wages and FTEs at the State Hospitals.
Oppose closing 14 beds at Rainbow Mental Health Facility due to changes in CMS requirements.
Support funding $3.4 million to staff the 30 bed unit at Osawatomie State Hospital to address the accelerating growth in admissions.
Support funding for private hospital beds. Although the urban counties of Wyandot, Johnson, Sedgwick and Shawnee serve the majority of people who need psychiatric inpatient resources, people from rural areas of the state often suffer the greatest hardship because of the distance to state hospitals.
Support extending the statutory exemption from preferred drug list or other potentially dangerous administrative management methods for sensitive mental health medications provided by the Medicaid and MediKan programs.
Reconvene the Mental Health Prescription Drug Advisory Committee to continue their work to pursue savings and safety measures for the Medicaid and MediKan program with the input of experts in the field.
Restore Cuts to addictions treatment programs; the Gaming Addictions Fund should be targeted to treatment of addictions.
Address the eligibility Clearinghouse backlog and decrease turnaround time.
Support flexible funding streams that support children and families, including coordination of care.
Emphasize services and supports that keep children with their families or other caregivers and in their communities.
Actively pursue positive programs, including crisis intervention and law enforcement training, to move Kansas forward in addressing mental health and criminal justice issues.

The Coalition stands ready to participate in planning efforts to improve the delivery of integrated health care throughout Kansas. Please contact us for more information.

Glen Yancey, President; H: 785-266-6670, Mobile: 785-640-0096, glengyancey@msn.com
Amy A. Campbell, Lobbyist; 785-969-1617, campbell525@sbcglobal.net