Douglas County approves $300,000 solvency aid for local crisis call center

Douglas County commissioners voted unanimously to authorize one-time solvency assistance to Headquarters for Kansas after the nonprofit that runs local crisis-call operations described a multiyear financial shortfall and ongoing corrective work.

Bob Trojanski, the county's director of behavioral health projects, introduced the item and said county staff and commissioners had reviewed audits and financial information sent by Headquarters. Dan Watkins, who spoke for Headquarters, detailed a two-year effort to reconstruct accounting records, bring in outside financial management and respond to a KDADS audit finding that required a $340,000 repayment to the state.

"We're seeking $300,000 in assistance," Watkins told the commission, saying a split disbursement—part in April and part in June—would allow Headquarters to meet payroll and pay down short-term obligations while it completes audits and finalizes a FY25 financial report. He said Headquarters had also taken a $100,000 short-term loan to meet payroll and was transitioning payroll and billing functions to ADP and bill.com to stabilize operations.

Megan Bridges, director of crisis services at Headquarters, described operational changes tied to the January transition to the 988 system and a new "press 2" routing option to ensure local callers reached a crisis counselor. "Press 2 to be connected to 988," she said, describing geo-routing and other technical steps Headquarters used to direct callers appropriately as the state moved to 988.

Commissioners expressed appreciation for the organization's transparency and for Watkins' and Bridges' work stabilizing operations. Staff said KDADS has adjusted reimbursements to more closely match actual expenditures (moving closer to 95% reimbursement for eligible costs), and that the county's approval would include contractual oversight and reporting requirements.

The motion to approve Headquarters' solvency request passed unanimously; the board authorized the county administrator to execute any related contracts and agreements. County staff said the award would be contingent on contracts spelling out reporting and oversight, and that the county will monitor audit completion and monthly reporting to the court that has supervised some of the organization's recovery efforts.

Background: Headquarters for Kansas operates crisis-line and 988-dispatched services for a regional coverage area; Watkins said the organization fields tens of thousands of calls annually, employs roughly 30 full-time and 30 part-time staff and had an annual budget in the range of $4 million in recent years. The county's assistance is intended as short-term solvency aid while Headquarters completes audits and aligns reimbursements with state funding processes.