Small Town News

Mental Health Center cutting back services

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News from the mental health center was bad Monday morning as the director reported on survival strategies to stay open during tough financial times.

Bill Persinger, Director of the Mental Health Center of East Central Kansas, said budget cuts have gotten beyond the meat and potatoes point, and now they have to choose whether they'd rather have meat or potatoes.

Persinger said at one point the state's mental health centers were getting about $50 million in state funding, but that was cut in half during the past few years and is being cut in half again.

He said statewide mental health programs are looking at $10 million in state subsidies this year.

"No amount of fee-for-service is going to subsidize the lack of grant money," Persinger said.

Persinger said the decisions he had to make were distressing.

"I spent a whole career trying to get people to come into mental health care ... and now I'm trying to figure out how to keep them away," he said.

He said this is because the center cannot offer services to everyone anymore. There now is a waiting list, and Persinger indicated he expects to have to cut the alcohol and drug treatment program, among others. He said the center also will have to have people pay for services as they are rendered and likely will have to triage according to who can pay or present insurance.

"This year we will be in business, but all but the sickest people will be turned away," he said.

"The economic times are putting pressure on me to do more work, but I don't have the money to do it," Persinger said.

Commissioners thanked Persinger for the job he does and the services he works to make sure are offered.

Commissioners also met with Noxious Weed Department Director Tonya Hensley, who asked them to approve bids for chemicals.

She said she has been advised to accept bids for chemicals on an individual, line-item basis, rather than collectively, and she asked commissioners to approve the low bids for five items.

Hensley also again asked permission to purchase a 4-wheeler for her department's spraying contracts. She said the Interstate and state highways get dangerous when trying to use the truck, and that the 4-wheeler would be able to access places a truck cannot.

She priced a 4-wheeler with a spray tank and a plow blade, and after discussion and consideration commissioners approved the purchase of the 4-wheeler for $7,585 with a tank installed for $899, but denied purchase of a blade.

In other business:

Stuewe reported that J.C. Rivers called him over the weekend and expressed a desire to share more information with commissioners.

"He'd like to come back and talk to us again," Stuewe said, adding that the commission could look at giving Rivers a 15-minute slot on March 29.

"He had some interesting information that he shared," Stuewe said.

Stuewe said Rivers also complimented several of the county employees, particularly Economic Development Director Abby Dechant and County Attorney Norbert Marek.

Marek reported on a call he received reporting Wells Creek Road had flooded over the weekend. Commissioners discussed the fact that work by area landowners had been intended en the drainage ditch late last fall, but with the late harvest and wet winter it had not yet happened.

Road and Bridge Department Supervisor Les Schrader also discussed the saturated weather conditions, adding that he and his crew have been hauling a lot of rock for areas where the roads are going soft.

Commissioner Jim Suber reported he received a call from a Maple Hill resident asking whether the commission would consider moving one meeting a month to an evening.

Stuewe said courthouse staff often are called on during meetings, so staff members would need to be present, which would mean paying overtime. He added that it has been his experience through the years that people who have needed to be at the meetings have arranged their schedules to be present when needed. Commissioner Rodney Allen added that although evening meetings have been discussed they have never been implemented because of the necessity of having the additional courthouse staff present after hours.

Commissioners will conduct a hearing at 10 a.m. next Monday regarding the proposed Community Improvement District at the Maple Hill 24/7 Store.



Copyright 2010 The Wabaunsee County Signal-Enterprise, Alma, Kansas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2010 The Wabaunsee County Signal-Enterprise Alma, Kansas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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