The Center sets the stage for behavioral-health clinic

Julie Kramp and her colleagues at The Center for Counseling & Consultation spent much of last year looking at the big picture, while taking many strides to bring it into focus.

The big picture is pre-certification as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) by July. Full certification from the state of Kansas will follow within 12 months after that.

A CCBHC is a multidimensional program that will be offered through The Center, 5815 Broadway. The enhanced services will be available at this Great Bend location, as well as The Center’s offices in Pawnee, Rice and Stafford counties.

Numerous steps have been taken in this quest. One of the bigger accomplishments is increasing the medical staff from two to five.

The Center hired a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMH NP) and an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) that is currently working on becoming a PMH NP. Another APRN was added, along with a registered nurse; a licensed practical nurse also is on staff

Dr. Patrick Stang, psychiatrist, continues as medical director.

“This demonstrates our commitment to providing the best medical-assisted treatment possible locally,” Kramp said.

Other CCBHC highlights during the past year include: securing a substance-usedisorder license; starting the Jail Program to assist inmates; enhancing veterans’ access to mental-health care; and assisting people with housing and employment issues.

The build-up to this program began more than a year ago, when The Center began addressing the 39 criteria involved. “We have met the requirements for many criteria and are getting close on the others,” Kramp said.

“The whole point is to integrate our services to offer a CCBHC, which is a person- and family-centered program designed to ensure access to comprehensive behavioral healthcare.”

A few other 2022 highlights at The Center include: starting a mindfulness yoga program; securing a Counseling to Assess Lethal Means (CALM) grant for suicide prevention; and offering local screening for generalized anxiety disorder.

The Center also offers a number of children’s programs including mindfulness, conscious discipline and therapy sessions.

“These programs for young people are so important,” Kramp commented. “If they get help early in life, maybe they will do better in school and have a better outlook about mental health; we can reduce the stigma at an early age. “We couldn’t tackle these issues – for children or adultswithout the help of many local entities,” she added.

These entities in The Center’s fourcounty service area include sheriff ’s offices, police departments, county commissions, Community Corrections, Juvenile Services, health departments, chambers of commerce and the local media that helps spread the word.

“Our consumers are a big part of our success too because they come to us for the help they deserve,” Kramp said. “And they let us know how we are doing, which is invaluable to us.

“Our board of directors also deserves high praise. They are proactive and dedicated to our mission. We also appreciate individuals and businesses that donate to our fund at the Golden Belt Community

Foundation.”

The Center’s staff is “second to none,” Kramp noted. “They are professional, educated and committed. During this transition to a CCBHC, they view the changes as a good thing because they will help more people.

“They bring energy and enthusiasm to the added services, instead of letting it all overwhelm them.”

#Zero Reasons Why #Zero Reasons Why, a teen-led suicide prevention program, continued to blossom last year. It is in place in almost all school districts in Barton, Pawnee, Rice and Stafford counties.

A new template for the curriculum is now available to all schools. This is useful to any school no matter the stage of their #ZRW program; it is for beginners as well as long-time participants.

“This template provides ideas for any #ZRW project,” Kramp said. “It can help jump-start a program or provide direction for the next steps.”

The Center for Counseling & Consultation is a Community Mental Health Center serving Barton, Pawnee, Rice and Stafford counties. Professionally trained personnel offer: individual and group therapy; marriage and family counseling; communitysupport services; community-based services; psychosocial rehabilitation; peer support; and medication management. The confidential 24/7 crisis hotline number is 800875-2544.