SEDGWICK COUNTY, Kan.(KSNW) – A new $40 million psychiatric hospital is coming to south central Kansas by 2026.
On Monday, the governor-appointed South Central Regional Psychiatric Hospital Advisory Panel met for the first time to begin planning for the project.
The panel is made up of 14 state and local leaders in government, law enforcement and mental health advocacy.
“This issue is not going away,” said Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter.
Over the next two years, the panel will work on a workforce pipeline to staff between 115 and 200 people at the hospital.
Dr Jessica Provines, chief psychologist at Wichita State University, said the growth and demand for mental health resources over the past decade has been unprecedented.
“It’s time that we really expand our mental health resources so that we can meet the demand,” Dr Provines said.
The panel wants the hospital to work alongside existing mental health services.
The group will also work on choosing a location.
They are looking at a number of options, including a vacant seven to 11 acre site or an existing building of at least 76,000 square feet.
Sheriff Easter is on the committee.
He said the wait can be long for those awaiting criminal psychiatric evaluations. Right now, some have waited more than 400 days to be seen.
“That’s been an ongoing problem just because of all the issues at Larned and staffing and overcrowding and things like that,” Sheriff Easter said.
With at least 50 new beds, half will be reserved for offenders.
Sheriff Easter says this will benefit other parts of the state by reducing waiting times.
He adds that it must be safe for patients and the community.
“The citizens of Sedgwick County, or wherever this is located, need to know that this place is as safe as a jail,” Sheriff Easter said.
The next step for the panel is to hear from the community about locations, concerns or questions. They aim to do this by the end of the year.
The hospital is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
