Sedgwick County and the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services held a town hall meeting Tuesday to answer questions about the project to establish a regional psychiatric hospital.
Sedgwick County issued a request for proposals for properties or existing buildings that could meet the needs of a 50-bed state psychiatric hospital. A site review committee, made up of Sedgwick County and KDADS staff, reviewed 11 properties and 3 building proposals submitted for consideration. After applying screening criteria that were provided with the request for proposals announcement, the committee narrowed the submitted proposals to four potential sites:
- 2622 West Central Avenue and 723 North McLean Boulevard
- A parcel on the corner of Macarthur and Meridian
- A parcel at 53rd and Greenwich Road
- A parcel at 85th Street North and I-135
Sedgwick County staff will now work with KDADS to develop a final recommendation for Sedgwick County Commissioners. The recommendation will be presented at the Commission meeting on December 20th, with a request to begin negotiations with the selected property owner to close on the purchase by the end of January 2024.
A regional hospital in south central Kansas would address the shortage of in-patient mental health beds in the region, allowing patients to remain closer to home and family while receiving care. The facility would also reduce jail overcrowding by shortening the wait time for inmates pending evaluations or treatment.
Governor Kelly announced in May that KDADS had awarded $25 million to Sedgwick County to create a new regional hospital. In addition, $15 million from the State General Fund was earmarked by the State Finance Council in December 2022 for the planning and initial design work for a regional state psychiatric hospital.
