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Southeast Kansas Mental Health, Ashley Clinic describe integrated care model and county support request
Summary
Southeast Kansas Mental Health and physician leaders at Ashley Clinic described an integrated “whole-person” care model to the Neosho County Commission and discussed county support targeted to residents unable to pay; the groups did not present a specific dollar request at the meeting.
Southeast Kansas Mental Health and leaders from Ashley Clinic told the Neosho County Board of County Commissioners on June 17 that combining behavioral and primary care has improved patient access and outcomes and asked the county to consider continuing financial support for care for residents who cannot pay.
The presenters said integrating therapists and medical providers at the same clinic improves follow-through for patients with mental-health and chronic medical needs. “Somebody who is suicidal is much more likely to show up to their medical doctor than the therapist,” said Doug Ryde, identified in the presentation as chief operations officer for Southeast Kansas Mental Health. “When you integrate services… you can kind of impact those people that are at risk.”
Commissioners were given examples of warm handoffs between clinic physicians and therapists and told the combined approach has produced measurable referrals and service connections. “I was able to walk him hand in hand down the hallway to our therapist, introduce him to her, and sit down with him and start that process,” said Dr. David Guernsey, a family physician at Ashley Clinic, describing one patient whose treatment adherence improved after the clinic merged services.
Why it matters: presenters said integrated care can detect and treat behavioral health issues earlier and support better management of chronic physical conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. They described in-school services and other community programs developed by Southeast Kansas Mental Health as part of a broader effort to address rural service gaps.
Details presented to commissioners - The organizations described a sliding-scale fee structure intended to make both mental-health and primary-care services affordable for residents who would otherwise not access care. - Commissioners asked whether the organizations had made a written funding request. Officials indicated the previous year’s county allocation was $88,002.90 but that a precise request or breakdown for the current year either had not been included in the meeting packet or was “not specified” in the presentation. - The presenters said county funds are targeted to patients who “have inability to pay” for mental-health treatment and that those dollars help connect such patients to reduced-fee medical care across the hall.
No formal county action was taken at the meeting. Commissioners asked follow-up questions about budget lines and whether a specific dollar amount to request from the commission had been submitted; presenters said more detail could be provided later.
Background and context Southeast Kansas Mental Health described grant-supported work over several years to become a certified community behavioral health clinic and said that designation supports integration with primary care and other services. Ashley Clinic leaders said the clinic’s practice environment and financial pressures on independent physician practices made the merger with the mental-health center a practicable step to preserve local services.
What’s next Commissioners indicated they want a clearer written request and budget detail before making a funding decision. The presenters said they would provide more detailed budget and program information for the commission to review at a later date.
