News & Notes

During the pandemic, the number of people in Lawrence who are experiencing homelessness has grown. With winter coming, that number as well as the need for food and shelter will only increase, say members of the Bert Nash Center Homeless Outreach Team, who are making sure that they have everything they need in place, in order to support those who are in their care through this often challenging time. And the rest of those who had jobs had to work remotely, which was mentally d

Kim Brook had never equated her mental health with her physical health. That is, until she started having difficulty managing the stress in her life. “Before, I would think my mental health would take care of itself,” Kim said. “I grew up thinking that mental health was a separate issue from physical health. But I found out if I don’t take care of my mental health, things won’t get better on their own.” Relationships, life changes, a stressful job, it all added up. Kim was st

Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center and Lawrence Public Schools have a long history of collaboration to promote the mental wellbeing of students. A shining example is the WRAP program. WRAP (Working to Recognize Alternative Possibilities) is an in-school therapy program that was started in 1997 and continues to thrive today. WRAP is a groundbreaking program where the Bert Nash Center — in partnership with Lawrence Public Schools and other Douglas County schools — assigns

Whether virtually or in person, Bert Nash Center’s Medical Services Team is here to help. “We are available for people to get help, via phone, or video as well as in person,” said Dr. Timothy McCord, Medical Services psychiatrist. During a pandemic, with so many stressors in people’s lives such as job loss, loss of insurance, and remote learning challenges, the Medical Services team’s services may be needed now even more than ever. Even though most medical insurance companies

Dale Beaulieu had been through graduation ceremonies before. This one was different. And not just because it was conducted via Zoom. This graduation was the most meaningful. Dale is a recent graduate of the Douglas County Behavioral Health Court (BHC). The program, started in 2017, connects defendants who have a serious mental illness to community support services — including social workers, case managers and peer support — with the goal of reducing their return to custody. T

Mar Lan Construction provided a tour on August 19th for staff and community partners involved in Transitions and The Cottages, two housing projects on the Treatment and Recovery Campus of Douglas County. The campus will provide services and housing for individuals with serious mental illness and substance use disorders. The Cottages are apartments owned and operated by the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority and will serve up to 10 clients who have been diagnosed with a

Tina Rosenthal, Governing Board chair What is the best thing about being a Bert Nash board member? The best thing about being a Bert Nash board member is the people I have the privilege to serve with. I have met a lot of wonderful individuals, employees as well as fellow volunteers, while serving on the board. It has been both refreshing and exciting to work with a group of people who are equally as passionate as I am about the stability of mental health services for our comm

Ever since the Community Health Facility at 200 Maine Street opened in 1999 and until earlier this year, city employee Dale Seele was the building manager. During that time, he became a friend and honorary staff member of all three agencies that call the building home: Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health, and Visiting Nurses Association. On the 20th anniversary of the building in 2019, the first-floor meeting room was named the Dale

Even though she is a teenager, there have been times when Rebecca has had the responsibilities of someone much older. When her grandmother was sick, she was the caregiver. When her mother was incarcerated, she was the grownup. Now she can focus on being a daughter. “I had to make a lot of adult decisions when my mom was gone,” Rebecca said. “When my mom first got out, she saw me as the little kid she had left behind. But I wasn’t that person anymore. It took us awhile, but we

Note: September is Suicide Awareness Prevention Month. Anyone struggling with thoughts of suicide should call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255 or (785) 841-2345. As soon as they received the text message, they knew. And in that moment, everything changed. Forever. I want you all to know I love you. It’s my time to leave. Thank you so much for being such a supportive and loving family. I’m sorry I have to do this. I have been planning this for a whil

If a program could help reduce hospital and emergency room visits and also improve a person’s overall mental and physical health, what’s not to like? That program is OneCare Kansas. OneCare Kansas provides extra support for those who have a serious health condition and are part of KanCare, the program that administers Medicaid for the state of Kansas. Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center is a OneCare Kansas partner in Douglas County, along with Heartland Community Health

If you have a family member or friend who deals with a mental illness, and you would like to have a better understanding of their illness so you can better relate and help them, here is an opportunity to get that education. “Family to Family” is a series of twelve weekly classes structured to help people understand and support a family member or friend who is dealing with a mental illness while maintaining their own well-being. The course is taught by a team of trained volunt