Johnson County commissioners on Dec. 1 approved a lease agreement with Johnson Memorial Hospital for behavioral health services and noted a ribbon cutting is scheduled for Jan. 15. A board member described the project as "very needed" in the county and said the opening had been delayed by bureaucracy and red tape, requiring assistance from legislators.

"This thing's been really ready to go since May, and we have waited on red tape till January 15," the board member said, urging the board to approve the lease to avoid further delays. The board moved to approve the lease agreement and the motion carried on voice vote.

The meeting transcript does not include the lease’s financial terms, length, or specific program details (beds, staffing levels or operating budgets). Meeting remarks described the project as a long-awaited local resource for behavioral health but did not include formal presentations of budget or operational plans in the public record.