Sedgwick County outlines $22 million estimate to expand Comcare Crisis Center; plans added stabilization, detox and medical services

Sedgwick County Comcare on Jan. 21 presented plans to expand and consolidate its crisis continuum into a single community crisis center adjacent to the Wichita BioMed campus, with construction expected to complete in summer or fall 2026.

Comcare Director of Crisis Services Jennifer Wilson described the service expansion and staffing changes that would accompany the updated facility plans. "We plan to expand the crisis observation, stabilization, and detox services to meet the community demand and also to provide access to care to those who need it," Wilson said. The county’s facilities director and designers from Helix Architecture then reviewed the site plan, program layout and schedule.

Key proposed program changes and figures presented in the meeting packet and slides: - Timeline: construction documents late February/early March 2025; project out to bid mid‑late March; estimated completion summer/fall 2026. - Approved CIP authorization: just over $15,000,000 (project authorization in place); updated cost estimates presented to commissioners are closer to $22,000,000–$23,000,000 total (including land and all project costs). - Land/building acquisition: county purchased the Landon Building (parcel adjacent to Wichita BioMed Center) in 2024; staff cited an acquisition price around $5.4 million. - Facility program changes: increase observation recliners from 6 to 8; increase stabilization beds from 6 to 7; plan a crisis intervention center (CIC) with its own secure intake/entry and six stabilization beds; sobering beds increase from 8 to 10; detox beds increase from 15 to 26; work toward adding medical detox capacity managed in partnership with the Substance Abuse Center of Kansas (SAC). - Mobile and call‑center operations: Comcare reported eight full‑time mobile crisis teams (clinician + integrated care specialist) and embedded integrated care specialists in 9‑1‑1; mobile response average time cited at about 38 minutes; 988 call performance meets the 90% answer-rate target.

Financing and next steps: Facilities Director Andrew Dilts and county staff said the project is currently budgeted via CIP with an authorization just over $15 million, but updated cost estimates require a CIP amendment. The plan anticipates issuing bond debt (to be repaid from property‑tax–supported funds) for the authorized portion and using available county cash to reduce the debt issuance gap. County staff said they are exploring whether some debt service could be supported by CCBHC or state funding streams, but they cautioned that SAC is an independent provider whose space and services would not be eligible for some revenue types; commissioners were told the share of debt service that could be covered by those alternative sources is uncertain and would require state approvals and future costing reports.

Design and operations details: Helix Architecture presented a plan that retains much of the existing building shell, adds a modest north‑side addition for a new lobby, and creates separate secure entries for the crisis intervention center and for SAC (sobering/detox). The design includes a backup generator for patient care and the call center, staff workspaces and a training/meeting room. Architects emphasized a calming interior palette and connections to an outdoor courtyard shared with the Biomed campus.

Cost‑benefit context: Comcare cited prior cost‑avoidance studies by Wichita State University’s Public Policy and Management Center showing estimated savings to the community associated with crisis services of roughly $8.1 million in 2015 and $15.5 million in 2018. Comcare said it is working with KU School of Medicine on an updated analysis.

What commissioners discussed: Commissioners asked about security protocols, employee entrances, the split of responsibilities between county and SAC, the source of funding for medical detox and whether the project will be as frugal as possible. County staff noted they plan to submit bids and then return with a CIP amendment and that year‑end transfers into the CIP fund will lower the amount of debt required.

Ending: No formal vote occurred at the Jan. 21 staff meeting; staff will proceed to finalize construction documents and bid the project in March and return to the commission with updated cost and financing recommendations, including a proposed CIP amendment when final construction bids are known.