East Central Region to wind down after state selects statewide nonprofit; CEO outlines staff supports and transition steps

May Hagen, CEO of Mental Health Disability Services of the East Central Region, told the Johnson County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 12 that the state selected a single statewide nonprofit to serve as the behavioral health Administrative Services Organization and did not award the ASO role by region. "The East Central Region was not selected as the behavioral health administrative services organization for District 7," Hagen said. She added the state has also consolidated the disability access-point procurement and that the region is still awaiting notification on whether it will be designated a Disability Access Point, with the state’s deadline for that notice on Feb. 21.

The announcement means the East Central Region will cease to exist on June 30 unless it is named to a continuing role, Hagen said. "As was passed in House File 2673 last session, the region itself ceases to exist on June thirtieth of this year," she said. Hagen told supervisors the budget the state published for a Disability Access Point is…