BREAKING NEWS: Center to reduce services, staff due to budget cuts

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About the Bert Nash Center

The Bert Nash Center commends your interest in mental health! Your concern reflects a growing national awareness that mental health is fundamental to general health and well being. In 1999, the first U.S. Surgeon General's report on mental health documented that mental illness rivals heart disease as a leading cause of disability in people of all social classes and cultural backgrounds in the United States today. In a given year, one in five Americans has a mental health problem that merits professional assistance and for which an array of effective treatments exists. The Bert Nash Center is Douglas County's behavioral healthcare provider of choice, offering cutting-edge, research-based services that address a variety of mental health needs and concerns. We invite you to review our information to find out more about our services and how we may help you. Thank you for visiting our website. We wish you good mental health.

FAQ: Click here to read our Frequently Asked Questions



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       January 2009


       April 2009

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       January 2010



       2008 Annual Report

 

History and Overview
The Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center was created in memory of Dr. Bert Nash (1898 - 1947), a University of Kansas educational psychologist and community leader concerned with the health of Kansas children. On July 5, 1950, the Center opened its doors, making it Kansas' third oldest mental health Center. From modest beginnings of part-time staff, today the Center is a licensed, comprehensive mental health facility committed to excellence in the delivery of comprehensive behavioral and mental health services. The Center continues its commitment to providing state-of-the-art services to all people of Douglas County and promoting the role of community in fostering and sustaining health. The Bert Nash Center currently employs 180 people, including psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, psychologists, educators, case managers, employment specialist and personal attendants who focus on child, adolescent, adult and geriatric mental healthcare. Our staff is large enough to provide wide-ranging services and small enough to accommodate individual concerns, both small and complex, in an affordable, quality-assured and culturally-sensitive manner.
A volunteer citizen board of directors governs the center.

Our Mission

Our mission is to advance the mental health of the Douglas County Community through comprehensive behavioral health services responsive to evolving needs and changing environments. The Bert Nash Center is committed to:

  • Quality, accessibility and innovation

  • Education and advocacy

  • Strong Partnerships in promoting health

  • Financial Stability

Affordable and Accessible

As the only comprehensive mental health facility in Douglas County, we are determined to be financially and physically accessible to every resident of the county. Our services are affordable! Sliding scale fees are available to Douglas County residents according to financial ability and access to all other available resources (insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, etc.). Services are offered to everyone, regardless of ability to pay. No one is denied services because of inability to pay.

 

Endowment Board of Trustees

Alice Ann Johnston, Chair
David Johnson, CEO
Kelvin Heck
Maurice Joy
Jason Edmonds
Dennis “Boog” Highberger
Doug Stephens
Carol Hatton
Justin Anderson
Rosy Elmore
Mike Treanor
Joe Bauman

Governing Board of Directors

Doug Stephens , Chair
Ken McGovern
David Johnson, CEO
Bonnie Lowe
David Ambler
Jean Milstead
Barbara Ballard
Jane Eldredge
Erv Hodges
Louise “Bootsie” Lauridsen
Richard Spano
Elizabeth Sheils

Investment Committee

William Beedles
Chuck Warner
O. Maurice Joy, Chair
Carolyn Shelton
Kelly Welch

 

Pioneer Award Criteria and Selection Process

The Pioneer Award will be given to an individual in Douglas County whose efforts and achievements to secure accessible comprehensive community mental health services for all residents of Douglas County are exceptional and typify the progressive, caring spirit which led to the founding of the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center.

The Executive Committee will accept nominations until January from staff or Governing Board members past or present. If the committee determines that a suitable recipient has been nominated, a recommendation will be made to the full Governing Board for consideration in February. The Pioneer Award will be granted at the Annual Meeting.

The term “Pioneer” is to connote a person who exemplifies the spirit of those individuals in the center’s early days. It does not mean that the award must be given exclusively to those involved in the beginning years of the center.

In addition these nominations were developed with the board’s desire to use the first few years as a “catch up” period and then to reduce the number of awards given in future years.

Good Friend Award

Purpose: The purpose of the Good Friend Award is to provide a visual thank you to individuals or groups who lend the Center a friendly, helping hand.

Eligibility: Any person or group whose actions have helped the Bert Nash Center.

Process for Nomination: Any staff or board member may designate a recipient of the Good Friend Award by filling out the award nomination form. The board of directors will review and formally approve the nominations. Good Friend certificates and a letter from the Board thanking the award winners will be distributed after the regular board of directors meeting.

Lyn Smith Award for Distinguished Service

Purpose: The purpose of developing the status of the Lyn Smith Distinguished Service Award is: To formally distinguish and honor those individuals whose service to the community has been exceptional in the capacity of Governing Board Director of the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, Inc.

Election: Any individual who has served as a Governing Board Director is eligible to be nominated for consideration and elected to the status of the Lyn Smith Award of Distinguished Service subsequent to retiring from membership as a Director.

Nominations may be submitted by any active or past member of the Governing Board of Directors, Endowment Board of Trustees or Bert Nash Center staff to the Executive Committee of the Governing Board for consideration and recommendation to the full Governing Board.

The Executive Committee of the Governing Board will accept nominations between January and February, make recommendations to the full Governing Board in March and present the award at the Annual Meeting.

Criteria considered in determining who will be elected to the status of the Lyn Smith Award for Distinguished Service will emphasize exceptional vision and leadership in realizing the Center’s primary mission to advance the health of the Douglas County community through comprehensive behavioral health services responsive to evolving needs and changing environments.

The Lyn Smith Award for Distinguished Service will be in the form of framed note card representing the year the award is given and will be signed by each member of the current board.

Established April 2002

 

DAY and EVENING APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE

LAWRENCE

200 Maine St.
Lawrence, KS 66044
785-843-9192
Fax 785-843-2219
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SATELLITE OFFICE

1428 Elm St.
Eudora, KS
66025
785-843-9192