Local behavioral health provider asks Riley County to nearly double its annual appropriation

A certified community behavioral health clinic presenting at the Riley County Commission’s May 14 meeting outlined its 10-county service footprint, recent expansions in mobile crisis response and growing uncompensated-care costs, and requested the county increase its annual appropriation.

The presenter said the agency served 6,954 unduplicated individuals across the 10-county area in fiscal year 2025 and provided nearly $21 million in services that year. The speaker cited a figure of roughly $790,694 in uncompensated care tied to Riley County residents and said county per-capita spending on mental-health services—cited as a lower figure than peer counties—warrants an increased local contribution.

Specifically, the agency asked Riley County to increase its contribution from $350,000 to $653,738 annually, an increase of $303,738. The presenter framed the request by comparing the county’s current per-resident support with the regional average and by noting recent investments in 24/7 mobile crisis response teams intended to reduce hospitalizations and downstream public costs. The presenter said a single hospitalization episode can cost between $16,000 and $50,000 and described state hospitals as strained with admission delays.

Commissioners thanked the presenter and asked for follow-up; staff and the agency agreed to return with additional budget detail and timing. The board did not take a vote on the request at the meeting.

Because the transcript contains varied spellings for the agency name and some numeric transcriptions, county staff should confirm the agency name, the precise uncompensated-care figures and the final budget request numbers before publication.