Pawnee Mental Health asks Geary County for $109,200 increase to expand crisis response

A Pawnee Mental Health representative asked Geary County commissioners to increase the county’s mental‑health appropriation by $109,200 — from $210,000 to $319,200 — to help the agency meet rising demand, cover uncompensated care and expand mobile crisis and crisis‑stabilization services.

The presenter said Pawnee provided $4.52 million in services to county residents in the prior year and reported more than $55,000 in uncompensated care. "Pawnee provided $4.52 million in services to Geary County residents; over $55,000 was uncompensated," the representative told the commission, and added that hospitalizations and crisis episodes are costly to the county and health system.

The agency described recent changes: mobile crisis response expanded to 24/7 and the provider had hired additional staff and managers; yet personnel costs, especially wages and health insurance, have driven a large share of operating expense increases. The presenter said that uncompensated care and statute‑mandated functions (assessments for possible state inpatient commitment) mean the provider continues to shoulder countywide service responsibilities.

Commissioners and staff discussed client counts, veteran services and whether additional state or federal funding streams could be pursued. The presenter said Pawnee served 1,581 unduplicated county residents across programs and that uncompensated costs were concentrated among uninsured or underinsured clients.

No formal vote or decision was recorded in the transcript; the request will be considered as part of the county’s budget process.