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Minutes for HB2365 - Committee on Health and Human Services
Short Title
Establishing the south central regional mental health hospital.
Minutes Content for Mon, Feb 17, 2025
Jenna Moyer, Revisor of Statutes, provided an overview of HB2365.
Scott Brunner, Deputy Secretary, Hospitals and Facilities, Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, provided testimony in support of HB2365 (Attachment 1). The bill would create a new state agency designated as the South Central Regional Health Hospital under the jurisdiction of the Secretary for Aging and Disability Services. This new psychiatric hospital would primarily serve the south central region of Kansas in cooperation with the existing state hospitals in Larned and Ossawatomie. The bill would authorize the operations of the hospital envisioned by stakeholders and funded by the legislature. The hospital will serve adults committed for voluntary mental health treatment under the Care and Treatment statute and criminal defendants needing competency services as an extension of the state security hospital. The catchment area for the hospital was provided. The Legislature approved funding for construction in FY2023. A timeline was reviewed with the committee for the construction. HB2365 also renames Parson State Hospital and Training Center to Parsons State Hospital. The new hospital will have 104 beds to serve adults in mental health crisis and criminal defendants awaiting competency services. The additional 52 beds will directly impact the wait time that is uncompensated care provided by community hospitals. The Governor formed a 15 member Advisory Panel to study inpatient needs, coordination with other services in the community, developing pathways for behavioral health workforce, and engaging the community. Authorizing the hospital in statute will give KDADS time to establish the operational and accounting structure for the hospital well before construction is complete.
Mr. Brunner responded to questions from the committee.
Amy Campbell, Kansas Mental Health Coalition (KMHC), provide testimony in support of HB2365 (Attachment 2). There has been a crisis regarding hospital capacity for individuals with mental health issues. Ms. Campbell provided a brief history of bed capacity and its numbers shrinking over the past decades. KMHC supports improvements, training and incentives for the state hospital employees who continue to care for those in crisis who need hospitalization. Staffing continues to be an issue and has caused a significant number of beds to be out of service.
Ms. Campbell responded to questions from the committee.
Written only proponent testimony provided by the following:
Sheriff Jeff Easter, Kansas Sheriff’s Association Legislative Chair (Attachment 3)
The hearing was closed.
