Kansas Health Solutions (KHS), KVC Hospitals, Inc., KDADS Partner to Enhance Inpatient Psychiatric Resources
KHS, KVC, and the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) are excited to announce a partnership that will add resources to serve up to 12 adults in a new inpatient psychiatric unit at KVC’s Prairie Ridge Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas.
“Kansas Health Solutions is excited by the chance to partner with KDADS and KVC in this very important initiative. This is a big step forward and we look forward to working together to meet the needs of Kansas patients who are suffering with severe mental illness,” said Patrick Yancey, CEO of Kansas Health Solution.
The initiative will be funded in part by a contract between KHS and KDADS, which sought funding from the Kansas Legislature to identify and fund resources while Osawatomie State Hospital (OSH) is being renovated. The renovations became necessary after the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued an order that improvements needed to be made in order for the State to continue to receive reimbursement for treatment. Once the Legislature appropriated the funding, KDADS amended an existing contract with KHS to identify resources and respond to needs by tracking admissions and obtaining agreements with private providers around mostly the eastern part of the state.
“KVC is excited at the prospect of expanding its hospital services to more patients in need of inpatient psychiatric treatment,” said Jason Hooper, President of KVC Health Systems, Inc, the parent company of KVC Hospitals.
“This is a very natural expansion for KVC within our existing facility, and we are looking forward to partnering with Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) to make this a sustainable treatment program even after the renovations to OSH are complete,” Hooper added.
KDADS Secretary Kari Bruffett noted, “KDADS believes these additional beds will greatly enhance the state’s ability to more quickly accommodate individuals in need of acute psychiatric inpatient care, but who cannot be admitted to Osawatomie State Hospital due to current pressures on the census.”
“We appreciate our KVC partners’ collaboration on this project,” Secretary Bruffett added.
KVC plans to begin admitting patients by this Monday, August 3rd.
Community Mental Health Centers provide services to all Kansans needing it, regardless of economic level, age or type of illness. For more information about the Community Mental Health Centers in Kansas, visit our web site at www.acmhck.org or call (785) 234-4773.
