News - CEO Blog

It’s Time for Kansas to Pass Medicaid Expansion

The Kansas Legislature is back in session. And as lawmakers convene in Topeka, many Kansans are left asking the same question. Will this be the year that Kansas finally adopts Medicaid Expansion?

Remembering a Life Cut Short

Strong. Determined. Someone who cared deeply about others.

Those are the words used to describe one of our consumers whose life was tragically cut short by the cold weather earlier this fall. Our entire Wyandot BHN team, especially those who knew and worked with this woman, extend our deepest condolences to her family.

Restoring Hope with the Promise of a Path Forward

Earlier this month, I was lucky enough to be surrounded by a crowd of 300 friends, supporters, board members and staff at our Game Changer Gala. It was an inspiring evening – filled with joy, laughter and powerful stories of recovery. Together, we raised more than $111,000 to help make mental health and substance use treatment, as well as housing services, more accessible for thousands of people across Wyandotte County.

70 Years: A Time to Look Back & Look to the Future

The past year has been a year full of celebrations as we marked 70 years of Wyandot Behavioral Health Network. We have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to celebrate with our staff, our community partners and soon we hope to celebrate with many of our friends and supporters at our upcoming Game Changer Gala as our 70th anniversary year draws to a close.

Creating Hope During National Recovery Month

Years ago, when one of our case managers was asked by a community member about what they do, they responded “we create hope.” Those three words have stuck with me all these years. September is National Recovery Month and for individuals who are struggling with mental health and addiction challenges, hope is vital. And this year’s theme is “Hope is Real. Recovery is Real.”

Taking a Moment to Celebrate

There is a lot of responsibility that comes with being a community mental health center. It requires us to stay connected to the community to ensure we are meeting the current needs. And it also means providing quality, accessible care close to home. And while I might be a bit biased, I think our staff at Wyandot BHN embody what it really means to be a community mental health center. And I was thankful for the opportunity earlier this month to celebrate everything they’ve accomplished over the past year.

Nobody Should Be Discharged into Homelessness

When a person is discharged from a hospital, the idea is to transition their care from the hospital back into the community. This idea holds true for mental and behavioral health treatment. But what happens if the person being discharged does not have a permanent home or address? What happens to them? And how does that affect their recovery?

Alive & Thrive Says Goodbye (for now)

After four years of addressing individual and community trauma, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and helping to promote resiliency in Wyandotte County, Alive & Thrive is saying goodbye – for now. At this time, funding for Alive & Thrive cannot be sustained.

A Celebration of Recovery

Last month, we had the unique opportunity to celebrate the recovery journeys of dozens of Wyandot BHN clients, staff and community members at the stART the conversation art exhibition. It’s not every day that we get a chance to see, hear and celebrate stories of recovery from our friends and neighbors. But that is what makes stART the conversation such a special event. It brings together Kansas Citians with varying levels of experience with art without any sort of “acceptance process.” The exhibition is about providing a platform for anyone who has a message to share about mental health. And the messages that were shared this year were powerful and started important conversations about mental health and recovery.

Improved Mental Health Care Benefits All of Us

Mental Health Month is a time to educate ourselves about the realities of mental health. And I was encouraged to see nearly 700 Kansas Citians doing just that at the Mental Health KC Conference earlier this month. While the conference primarily attracts mental health professionals, it is also starting to reach more corporate and business community members, as well as parents and others in the community who just want to deepen their understanding of mental health.

Improving the Mental Health System in Kansas

The COVID-19 National Emergency has now come to an end. And while that doesn’t mean that we’re living in a “post-COVID” world, I think many of us would agree that we can finally breathe a collective sigh of relief. But if you ask me, there has been a silver lining to come from the pandemic. It helped us normalize mental health and the need for support.

The Intersection of Justice & Mental Health

For years, Wyandot BHN has closely partnered with law enforcement and the local judicial system to ensure that individuals involved in the justice system have access to quality behavioral health services. Data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows that 44 percent of those in jail and 37 percent of those in prison have a mental illness. Those numbers are even higher for individuals experiencing substance use disorders. And incarceration can make existing mental health or substance use challenges even worse.