News & Notes

Amy Volweider can relate to what it’s like to be a millennial. Because she is one. Volweider is a therapist in the Adult Outpatient Program at the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center. At 28, she is at the upper end of the millennial age range, which is considered to be 18 to 34. So she can appreciate the issues and challenges facing millennials; she’s faced many of them herself. And is still facing them. “On a lot of levels, I get them,” Volweider said of her fellow mill

Charlie Kuszmaul, who retired in November, spent 25 years on staff at the Bert Nash Center. For most of that time — 19 years, to be exact — he was the driving force behind a program that places a mental health therapist in Douglas County schools. Known as WRAP, which stands for Working to Recognize Alternative possibilities, the in-school therapy program has touched the lives of “probably 10,000 kids” over the past nearly 20 years, said Kuszmaul, who joined the Bert Nash Cent

Bert Nash Center and Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority have a long history of working together. The newest partnership between the two organizations involves plans to develop an eight-unit apartment building adjacent to a proposed crisis center, across from the Bert Nash Center, 200 Maine St. “This is probably the strongest partnership between a community mental health center and a housing authority in the country,” Bert Nash Center CEO David Johnson said of the relat

Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center and the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority have received an award of $80,000 from the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation for continuation of the Community Support Services HOME tenant-based rental assistance program. The Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority will administer the funds. The Community Support Services HOME tenant-based rental assistance program is a collaboration between the Bert Nash Center and the Lawrence-

I began my career standing at the bars of the Des Moines City Jail, interviewing people to see if they qualified for release on their own recognizance or release with treatment services. Since then, I have visited jails and prisons in multiple states. I know we have a major problem with mass incarceration in our country. If you have a serious mental illness in America, you are 10 times more likely to be in prison or jail than in a hospital. How can I support expanding the Dou

Lawrence Chapman was one of the Van Go student artists who worked on the mural at Bert Nash. It took all of eight weeks to complete the design and painting of the mural on the second floor of the Bert Nash Center. That was 14 years ago. But the impact the mural has on children and families who visit the second floor of the Center lives on. “It’s great to hear it’s still having an impact,” said Lawrence Chapman, who was one of the student artists who worked on the project. “It

Everyone could use some TLC. For people who struggle with depression, that is especially true. In this case, TLC stands for Therapeutic Lifestyle Change, rather than tender loving care. Preliminary research suggests that Therapeutic Lifestyle Change is an effective treatment for depression. Bert Nash offers a TLC group that meets every Tuesday. It’s an open group, so a client can join at any point. “The group is very diverse,” said a client who attends the TLC group. “There

Mental Health First Aid is life-changing and can be life-saving. I took the course at Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center five years ago when I was a health reporter for a television station and newspaper. I wanted to be better educated about mental health because I interviewed people who suffered mental disorders, attempted suicide, and had lost loved ones who died by suicide. I wanted to make sure I was asking the right questions and sending the appropriate messages th

School's out, and that means its time for the Bert Nash Summer Program. The program, called Healthy Bodies Healthy Minds, will run from June 7th to July 28th and will involve about 75 kids. It’s a lifesaver for parents who struggle to fill their children’s time with fun and interesting activities during the summer holidays, and it can teach them important life skills. "We have a lot of kids this year," said Rhonda Stubbs, who oversees the program and leads the group for eleme

Paul Williams likes being behind the scenes. But not nearly as much as he likes helping people. Williams, the Bert Nash Mental Health Center IT manager, is the epitome of a problem-solver. And he’s an all-around good guy besides. Described in a nomination letter as “Someone who is liked and respected by everyone at Bert Nash,” Williams was the recipient of the 2016 Sandra Shaw Spirit Award, named for the longtime Bert Nash CEO, who died in 2010. The award is the highest honor

As the leader of anxiety therapy groups at the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, Jason Khomsi knows what he’s talking about. Because he’s lived it. He is just one of many who have lived through it and have come out of the other side. For people who are suffering from anxiety, they may never think that they will achieve a breakthrough, but with the right services and treatment, you will be successful Going to mental health centers or deciding to research alternative me

Walk into Angie Boster’s apartment these days and the window blinds will be open. That never used to happen. “I didn’t want the outside world seeing me,” she said. Now she’s not afraid to let the light – or the outside world – in. 2015 was a big year for Boster, 45, and it all started with a decision on New Year’s Day. “I usually don’t do New Year’s resolutions, but I did last year,” she said. “I told myself this year was going to be different.” It was. “It’s like she turned