Parsons and KNI officials cite vacancies, specialized care needs and requests for certified medication aides and cooks

PARSONS / KNI, Kan. — Officials from Parsons State Hospital and the Kansas Neurological Institute (KNI) told the Committee on Social Services Budget that vacancies, increasingly complex patient needs and survey citations are driving budget requests that include certified medication aides and additional dietary/cook staff.

Parsons State Hospital

Mike Dixon, superintendent at Parsons State Hospital, said Parsons serves a largely dually diagnosed population (intellectual disability plus mental health conditions) and reported that many residents require heightened supervision: Dixon told the committee that about 88% of individuals had engaged in physical aggression, 72% in property destruction and 72% in self‑injury; roughly 60% require a private room for behavioral reasons and about 8% were on one‑to‑one supervision.

Parsons described programmatic changes including trauma‑informed care and new restraint‑reduction efforts (the Ukuʀu model). Dixon said vacancy rates had improved slightly (from 25.7% to about 24.5% in his presentation) but that recruiting and retention remain a priority. Parsons noted an active vocational program and an advocacy group led by residents.

Kansas Neurological Institute (KNI)

Dayton Lamondian summarized the KNI request and explained a citation by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) for concerns about staffing structure and medication administration. The agency conducted a medication‑administration study and concluded it takes about 20 minutes per resident to administer medications; KNI requested 21 certified medication aide (CMA) positions and roughly $1.2 million in FY2025 to address the need. Lamondian reported the governor’s proposal would fund a smaller portion (approximately seven CMAs in the governor’s recommendation) while the Legislative Budget Committee did not recommend the full enhancement.

KNI also requested restored dietary/cook capacity: the dietary department closed in 1996 and the agency requested funding to create cook positions to meet complex dietary needs for an aging resident population; the governor recommended a partial amount that the agency revised down to about $898,000 in one proposal.

Public comment and family perspective

A parent‑guardian group leader identified in the transcript as “Miss Kelly” — who said she is president of the parent/guardian group and an affiliate representative for the National Council on Severe Autism — urged continued investment in KNI and warned of growing demand for care for people with severe and profound autism. She requested that legislators visit KNI and highlighted the continuous, 24/7 care needs of residents who cannot be safely supported in community placements.

Ending

Both hospitals emphasized workforce development (internships, scholarship pipelines and tuition support), recruitment and retention bonuses, and other operational investments. The committee will consider the requests as part of the Appropriations process.