Randy CEO Blog

A few weeks ago, former Wyandot BHN President & CEO Steve Solomon gifted me a copy of a federal grant application he submitted for us in 1977. As you might imagine, it made for some fascinating reading. I was struck by just how much has changed in the way we provide community mental health services in Wyandotte County over the past 50 years. 

At the time, our organization had just 60 employees. The entire budget for staff salaries and benefits was approximately $455,000, with much of our funding coming from a federal Community Mental Health Center grant. A social worker earned $15,000 a year. A psychologist earned $11,000, while a psychiatrist earned $34,000. 

For context, we now have roughly 465 employees and, let’s just say, our staffing costs are significantly higher than they were in 1977.  

Our services looked different back then, too. Much of our work centered on outpatient mental health services, along with consultation, education, and prevention work. 

Five decades later, our organization has grown tremendously. As the needs of our community have evolved, so has the availability and scope of community mental health services in Wyandotte County. Today, our work extends beyond traditional outpatient care to include crisis services, housing and homelessness programs, children’s services, substance use treatment, vocational services, and many other supports. 

Our funding has evolved as well, becoming larger and more complex as our programs and responsibilities have grown. 

But amid all those differences, one line in that 1977 application caught my attention. It said, “Our strength has been in program development and the delivery of quality mental health services.” 

Nearly 50 years later, I believe that remains one of our greatest strengths. 

The size of our organization, the programs we provide, and the resources required to do this work may look very different today. But our purpose remains remarkably consistent: listening to our community, responding to its changing needs, and providing quality care. 

As we look toward the next 50 years of community mental health services in Wyandotte County, we will continue building on that legacy. We will grow and adapt while remaining committed to the community we are proud to serve.