[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6372781,"mediaKeyId","2146921-8d8874b6e4165acf4903eb536f6ebe44","parentId",2146921,"title","Child advocacy centers urge funding to expand trauma‑informed services and reduce PRTF wait lists","audioSeconds",749,"startMs",4494000,"endMs",5243000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2146921-8d8874b6e4165acf4903eb536f6ebe44&start=4494&end=5243","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2146921-8d8874b6e4165acf4903eb536f6ebe44/thumbnail_4494000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6372781/Kansas/Child-advocacy-centers-urge-funding-to-expand-traumainformed-services-and-reduce-PRTF-wait-lists","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6372781-6cebe50030902e62e9f10d24e47b6234/orig.mp4?Expires=1771181865&Signature=YqFmCt~QTRu9K5uUDHkP9KCnIxF7T5EeCYOfztk6KBS6dFfbqTKzm7jRlal33urBuPvl9o4ogJTNCQOwpggKWJuWK2D-vjWzFS2W4MVt370UzOempYBnO53ZlJkVNqmDPWe5GtdYI9J6Z9SxDU5639~9VrSoQOzZmcgp77qBaPVD0lUmNQB9ymlgvLMOUHY0Plejct~8o0TVrXbeDGM4iONMiutt~VfLeAVaBfu1hWKpnIv9GHnvGm9ragcRqnL-4vUz7ytRw9qs7PkFom6EyXnXWXpdYCNvkwMzYPXBFaWRf0AeaSeCrVzN6yDfPARCb~J0h00xiX-5Ng2dGSsfYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Committee on Health and Human Services , KS","date","2025-01-23T00:00:00Z","article","Casey Dahlke, executive director of Children's Advocacy Centers of Kansas, told the committee CACs provide coordinated, trauma‑informed services that streamline investigations, increase prosecution substantiation rates and reduce the costs of traditional multi‑agency responses.

Dahlke said CACs use multidisciplinary teams—law enforcement, child protection, prosecution, medical and mental‑health providers and victim advocates—to conduct interviews and coordinate care in child‑friendly settings. She told the committee the CAC model reduces average interagency costs from roughly $4,000 per case under traditional approaches to about $3,000 per case under the CAC model and that the centers increase the quality of forensic information and early access to mental‑health care.

Dahlke and Brynn (Bren) Murphy of Sunlight Children’s Services described a KDADS‑funded initiative to train clinicians in cognitive behavioral interventions for problematic sexualized behavior; Dahlke said the training aims to reduce PRTF (psychiatric residential treatment facility) wait lists by enabling earlier outpatient and community interventions. Dahlke recommended $3.0 million to expand services at existing centers and $800,000 to seed start‑up funding for new centers (total requested: $3.8 million), and warned that House Bill 2007’s budget changes threaten about $340,000 in current CAC funding this fiscal year.

Bryn(n) (Bren) Murphy, CEO of Sunlight Children’s Services, described two local programs: a child advocacy center in El Dorado that added therapy slots over the past five years (three therapists at capacity) and an emergency shelter in Andover serving youth birth–18 who enter police protective custody or who lack placement. Murphy said about 30% of youth in their emergency shelter were in foster care and awaiting PRTF or stable placements.

Dahlke said about 32% of Kansas’ geography (rural areas) currently lacks access to a CAC and argued that sustainable, statewide funding is needed to ensure equitable access. Committee members heard that immediate intervention and therapist availability at CACs produce high therapy retention and that trained clinicians help keep children safely at home in many cases.

No committee votes were taken on these presentations. Dahlke and Murphy offered to provide further budget detail and to work with legislators on bills affecting child welfare and funding.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Committee on Health and Human Services 01/23/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Children's Advocacy Centers of Kansas told the committee that CACs produce cost savings and earlier trauma treatment, but state grant cuts threaten capacity; centers requested about $3.8 million to sustain and expand services and to train clinicians in problematic sexualized behavior treatment.","taxTitle","Committee on House Health and Human Services, Standing, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Kansas","taxId",18811,"location","Kansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6372786,"Aging services leaders warn workforce, regulatory and reimbursement pressures fuel nursing‑home closures",950,3270000,4220000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2146921-8d8874b6e4165acf4903eb536f6ebe44&start=3270&end=4220","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2146921-8d8874b6e4165acf4903eb536f6ebe44/thumbnail_3270000.jpg","/articles/6372786/Kansas/Aging-services-leaders-warn-workforce-regulatory-and-reimbursement-pressures-fuel-nursinghome-closures","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6372786-a2c58515b1248da4aef9bf68a0cadd7c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771181865&Signature=lQe-JF16gNoH7dMa0SN0pgEYSNsRISyL7Txxb9L9MIazeUE7rQFP5izcPQWdmK84-NVwxQgS9Z-1RTu3s2mqlbyM~q4W-izfpMwN06Y1z7CTZRoo9ShXGMtmHTYZjhd~L-dZ9Ej9nV6E7zwuZDCGrgnMcBsX4HSdo2kL2iARLDMwMPzQzo4njrNP6RoJ5efoqKu0XIvPGZhOdOKSxuVCs4Yuf3sVlhgitVzNJxD3H8qt2a09xKkts-WqQPgzMBN7RiLwXVXPjIhwQY0HOOP4~o9QQ~yEpD3zZP0h-94lIphfw91uNUU-WNj98YqH4MVzmr5lURljHNXAxhE-iU07VQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kylie Childs of Leading Age Kansas and Linda Mowbray, president and CEO of the Kansas Health Care Association, briefed the House committee on the current state of aging services across Kansas and urged legislative attention to workforce, reimbursement and regulatory issues.

Childs described the full continuum of aging services represented by her association and said Kansas faces growing “care deserts” after COVID: she said about 89,000 Kansans live in areas with only one nursing or residential care provider within a 30‑minute drive and about 32,000 live in areas with no such provider within 30 minutes. Childs thanked the legislature for Medicaid add‑on funding in the last two years that she said helped many providers reach near 100% cost reimbursement and slowed closures.

Mowbray told the committee the state has fewer counties with a skilled nursing facility than historically: at the latest count she cited, 96 of 105 counties had a skilled nursing facility, down from earlier levels. She discussed the cost pressures faced by families—Medicare generally covers limited post‑acute skilled care (at most 100 days in most cases) and residents may face monthly costs of roughly $7,000–$10,000 if private payment is required.

Both witnesses called for continued Medicaid rate support, reforms to staffing agency contracting and transparency, and changes to federal survey and certification policies they called overly punitive. Childs said Leading Age Kansas opposes the current CMS minimum staffing standards rule as inadequate to address worker shortages and supports congressional efforts to ease restrictions that prevent nursing facilities cited in surveys from offering certified nursing assistant (CNA) training while working to return to compliance.

Witnesses also described the sector’s economic role: nursing facilities and other aging providers often represent large local employers whose closure can cause revenue losses for communities. Committee members asked clarifying questions about differences between assisted living and skilled nursing standards; Mowbray explained that skilled nursing facilities are federally regulated and subject to Medicare/Medicaid participation rules, while assisted‑living settings are state‑licensed and must follow KDADS standards and disclosures but are not federally regulated in the same way.

No committee votes were held during the presentations; both organizations offered to provide additional materials and to serve as resources for members.","Leading Age Kansas and the Kansas Health Care Association told the committee that COVID‑era losses of beds, workforce shortages, and reimbursement issues are creating care deserts and threatening access, and urged sustained Medicaid add‑ons and regulatory clarity.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6372790,"START model pitched as solution; national data and Sedgwick County projections presented",1598,1651000,3249000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2146921-8d8874b6e4165acf4903eb536f6ebe44&start=1651&end=3249","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2146921-8d8874b6e4165acf4903eb536f6ebe44/thumbnail_1651000.jpg","/articles/6372790/Kansas/START-model-pitched-as-solution-national-data-and-Sedgwick-County-projections-presented","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6372790-86e5264e5f2bdbac21f7168700ceeeb0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771181865&Signature=hNEdT5JWxgq58G00GvzaqHe19UYskTqcuRFrKzL7hl3LcuOuezndBAg-emJoiBSzEjDCe62l1z6j-FpmzJNUheHoqx5Z1zw~-h9cChDVaHtj6DYH2AwYo6IVbZPB7VhOW1RuABpA7j6ym7s9FzPEDF7ylCCdzzuqC94y48nw4LDSuffeinx~AQbjWO1GiU2ie0x8fOPKmrxenvrOYABte0G5TI6nAOVdPgeug959iiO6q5EDLSNruOqpu0OPzyvm4mO0rkDTGWbyN2ZabhnkzdklrGD~yKv2HavdPbsDFyi0~5~07mZ~UOxmzShTBg3zp9bIPEx5gNfFi0VgdJWjxQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dr. Karen Weigley, acting director of the National Center for START Services at the University of New Hampshire, briefed the Committee on House Health and Human Services on START, an evidence‑informed, community‑based model for crisis prevention and intervention for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and co‑occurring mental health conditions.

Weigley described START as a three‑level public‑health approach: primary prevention to build community capacity, secondary services provided by START teams (specialized assessments and community‑based interventions), and tertiary crisis response with 24/7 crisis access for enrolled individuals. She said START resource centers can provide 30‑day intensive stays that train caregivers and support hospital diversion, step‑down and transition services.

Using national network data for 2023, Weigley reported that about 36,100 people were served by START programs that year, resulting in roughly 28,100 crisis calls; 81% of people who made crisis calls remained at home after START intervention, and 72% reported reduced mental health symptoms. She said average enrollment spans about 14–18 months and teams work to ensure three months of stability before discharge.

Weigley and Sedgwick County Deputy Director Jeanette Livingston used local data to estimate cost avoidance in Sedgwick County: county figures for 2023 showed about 71 psychiatric hospitalizations at an approximate total cost of $1.8 million (an average cost per visit cited at $25,000). Weigley said even a conservative 20% reduction in psychiatric admissions could translate to substantial savings and that national START data show larger reductions in emergency and inpatient use over time.

Committee members asked about program scope, cost comparisons, applicability to children and rural areas, and homelessness. Weigley said START serves people as young as 6 where local programs choose that span, and teams operate in rural settings using local co‑response and telehealth strategies when necessary. She said prior comparative studies in Tennessee and other sites have found START‑associated per‑person annual service costs to be substantially lower than the costs incurred without START services, and that one inpatient psychiatric admission can fund roughly a year of services for 1.5 people in START, per her examples.

Sedgwick County leaders told the committee they hope Sedgwick could serve as a START hub and noted interest in a START resource center tied to county needs and to the state’s Parsons pilot. Weigley provided contact information for follow‑up. The committee did not vote on any actions during this presentation.","Dr. Karen Weigley of the National Center for START Services described START teams and a START Resource Center as evidence‑informed crisis prevention and stabilization for people with IDD and mental health needs; Sedgwick County officials said they plan to pursue START as a pilot hub.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6372795,"Wichita provider says state rules force community programs to accept people they cannot safely serve",914,64000,978000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2146921-8d8874b6e4165acf4903eb536f6ebe44&start=64&end=978","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2146921-8d8874b6e4165acf4903eb536f6ebe44/thumbnail_64000.jpg","/articles/6372795/Kansas/Wichita-provider-says-state-rules-force-community-programs-to-accept-people-they-cannot-safely-serve","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6372795-75cbb3d448f1260f377649cc25245a07/orig.mp4?Expires=1771181865&Signature=N04~IWSt0aZEoy9z8ljsyzUY1y8sae9t271YKmyHPqX4NBqHfuZNCMRpns-CqDk1RFrXYb6Iwg~3L2FWE2SchDhEmYevWIytczn6DNxPLVkHERP9zWvvBW5TX-P4kFxNdzjXqziU3vZVlt1ZlpMAfhpHn12ARelSnEuL8h1dmfRsVYsJ6mPSf763Ch4HHVJ-mAlljkAbVhZY0HR2zxFybCYaPwFDd2zDetM9WXGyAwTnHYnjY~NZpXIFgwOHa~7v1Rwc-g1Si7KzAPak8XYTwiNrhm3cvn1PzmP1NiiVOJTsL90BkW0ET1zIgpbSAlFaN9XhMrmtr4NnYeiWtSICIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Colin McKenney, chief executive officer of Starkey Incorporated in Wichita, told the Committee on House Health and Human Services that Kansas’ rules requiring local systems to develop plans to serve any eligible person are being interpreted in ways that send people with extreme behavioral and medical support needs into community programs that are not equipped to keep them or others safe.

McKenney said the mismatch produces frequent injuries to the people served, their co‑residents and staff; he showed committee members photos of injuries and of protective gear staff use while trying to stabilize people who arrive with little prior information. “People get injured because our system is required to serve individuals it is not equipped to serve,” McKenney said in his prepared remarks.

The CEO said the problem is compounded by limited inpatient resources and long waits for specialized help. He cited a 2022 legislative appropriation for a crisis stabilization pilot in Parsons that had not opened three years after funding was approved. “Months or years pass while we are waiting for such a request to turn into action and assistance at the local level. Meanwhile, people are getting injured,” he said. He also said the new mental health state hospital under construction in Wichita does not include beds for the population Starkey serves.

Sedgwick County Deputy Director Jeanette Livingston, who followed McKenney, told the committee the county supports using a START (System‑Wide, Therapeutic, Assessment, Resources, and Treatment) model and a START resource center to provide specialized assessment, short‑term stabilization and caregiver training. Livingston said Sedgwick County contracted with the National Center for START Services for an evaluation and that local data show current systems are not adequate: she cited 800 police calls in a year and one group home that received roughly 80 police visits in a year.

Committee members asked whether out‑of‑state students who become Kansas residents while at specialized schools remain eligible for services and whether families must move with them. McKenney and Livingston said eligibility pathways vary and that staff would defer to county eligibility or research staff for the statutory residency details; Livingston said families often do not move and that individuals who become adults while living in Kansas commonly apply for Medicaid and can be treated as residents.

McKenney recommended state leadership to set priorities and create resources for people with the highest behavioral and safety needs rather than relying on community providers to serve as de facto inpatient or correctional substitutes. He said Starkey has accepted emergency placements on short notice—citing a referral that arrived with 48 hours’ notice from Larned State Hospital—and that the organization opened a home in 2024 with no dedicated new staff, relying on existing employees’ extra time to meet needs.

The committee did not take formal action on the testimony; members requested follow‑up research about residency rules and funding paths that would clarify who pays when people come from out of state.

McKenney, Livingston and other speakers provided written materials to the committee record, including photos and a Sedgwick County data packet.","Starkey Incorporated CEO Colin McKenney told the Committee on House Health and Human Services that Kansas rules and limited inpatient capacity are sending people with extreme support needs into community programs that lack staff and resources, producing injuries and repeated crises.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Child advocacy centers urge funding to expand trauma‑informed services and reduce PRTF wait lists

Aging services leaders warn workforce, regulatory and reimbursement pressures fuel nursing‑home closures

START model pitched as solution; national data and Sedgwick County projections presented

Wichita provider says state rules force community programs to accept people they cannot safely serve