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

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.