Mental Health Services Expansion: Commission Discusses Community Outreach Programs and Telehealth

The Pottawatomie County Commission examined ongoing efforts to expand mental health services during their recent meeting, focusing on community outreach programs and the implementation of telehealth carts throughout the county.

Commissioners discussed various approaches to addressing mental health needs, particularly among the agricultural community, where suicide rates were noted to be higher than average. The commission explored potential programs that could support farmers and others in the agriculture industry.

"There are a lot of good ideas around the state that we could replicate," one commissioner noted during the discussion. Some counties are implementing "Coffee Chat" programs where residents can gather to discuss mental health concerns and find ways to help their neighbors.\n\nThe meeting highlighted existing telehealth initiatives. Currently, each of the ten counties in the region has a telehealth cart at their health department. Officials are looking to expand this service to include Community Care Ministries in Wamego.

"They are looking at getting one at Community Care Ministries in Wamego, because they say that the people come there and then they have a hard time getting to the Highway 24 number one," a health official explained during the meeting. "You can't walk there. There's not really a good sidewalk to get there."

The telehealth carts were funded through a grant received by Pawnee Mental Health. According to officials, the organization received initial funding during COVID and has since secured additional grant money for the program.

Commissioners emphasized the importance of keeping mental health services connected to local healthcare systems. "We want to make certain that stays in our communities for all the other services. They don't want to connect someplace else," said one county representative.

The discussion also touched on concerns about administrative costs and the need for coordination among multiple agencies providing mental health services. One commissioner noted the importance of collaboration to avoid duplication of services, stating, "It's very, very important that the different agencies come together, not each try to budget a full spectrum of all the services."

The commission is planning to form a mental health work group, and requested that a commissioner participate in this group.