Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Wichita provider says state rules force community programs to accept people they cannot safely serve
Summary
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.
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…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
