Viddler

We would like to welcome you to the 29th Annual Conference of the Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas, Inc. We are glad you are a part of this wonderful three-day conference. We hope these three days not only provide you with excellent educational and professional workshops, but also provides you with an opportunity to engage with others and share experiences in the field of mental health. Often times we find that through networking opportunities we gain valuable information to take back and use in our daily professional and personal life.
The Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) here in Kansas continue to show remarkable resilience in an environment which is constantly changing. The demand for services continues to grow; there is increasing need for improved collaboration among public health, primary healthcare, justice systems, social service, and education just to name a few; and financial resources continue to be strained with competing interests for limited public dollars and a time where Medicaid is being reformed both nationally and locally.
One year ago, the public mental health system experienced a significant change with the implementation of the Prepaid Ambulatory Health Plan (PAHP) through a contract with Kansas Health Solutions (KHS). Implementation has been a resounding success, particularly for consumers and families who navigate through our system. The CMHCs, as the major component of the KHS provider network, are to be thanked for the role they have played and continue to play in ensuring successful implementation of the PAHP.
Through efforts to transform the public mental health system in Kansas, we see a future where Kansans with a mental illness at any stage of life has access to effective treatment and supports essentials for living, working, learning and participating fully in the community. In a transformed mental health system, we also hope that Kansans will seek mental health care when they need.