The Special Committee on Health and Social Services is due to make recommendations Thursday, October 2, after lunch regarding how to reduce spending on contract staffing at the state hospitals.  This will include a conversation about whether or not to privatize state hospital operations at the South Central Mental Health Hospital when it opens in 2027.

If inpatient beds are important to you, please email Committee members TODAY to request the following:

- Please do not reduce the number of state hospital beds available for Kansans who need psychiatric hospitalization.

- Please support increasing the cap on Lottery funds dedicated to crisis services and clubhouse programs. These programs directly divert from state hospital admissions.

- Please support changes to expand the availability of State Institutions Alternatives beds at community hospitals.

- Please support a federal waiver application to the IMD Exclusion that will allow some Medicaid funding for psychiatric inpatient beds that is not currently available.

- Please do not recommend privatization of state hospital units, outside of the State Institutions Alternatives program.

We know that advocacy is personal - so please write your email in a way that reflects your own concerns. Send to committee members from your area or all committee members.  You could also email your own legislators - even if they are not on the committee. The Legislature is likely to tackle these costs and possible changes in the next session.

See spreadsheet of Committee members

See pdf of Committee members

Link to kslegislature page for Special Committee with links to members.