Bert Nash Center By the Numbers: Understanding Our Work, Our Impact, and Our Challenges
- Bert Nash CMHC
- 55 minutes ago
- 2 min read
As the state-designated Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) for Douglas County, the Bert Nash Center exists to ensure that everyone—regardless of insurance status or ability to pay—has access to high-quality behavioral healthcare.
Community Mental Health Centers like ours were established to serve as a safety net for individuals living with serious mental illness, substance use disorders, or other behavioral health challenges. We are part of a statewide network of centers in Kansas working to meet people where they are, offering a range of services including therapy, case management, medication services, crisis response, and housing support.
To help our community better understand the scope of our work and the pressures we face, we’ve created a By the Numbers fact sheet. It highlights who we serve, how our workforce has grown to meet increasing demand, and the financial realities that come with being a safety-net provider in a healthcare system that is often under-resourced.
At the Bert Nash Center, we have been navigating significant financial challenges over the past eight months, and we have reached the level of a financial exigency, requiring us to take immediate and difficult steps to actively reduce costs while preserving care, with a focus on long-term sustainability. Put simply, we are experiencing a steady rise in expenses, coupled with shortfalls in revenue and significant reductions in grants and other funding sources that are needed to support the level of care we are being asked to provide. To be clear, America’s healthcare financing model is not properly aligned with the real and increasing demands on us and countless other safety-net providers.
The fact sheet below outlines the ways in which we are responding with thoughtful, mission-driven strategies to preserve care while navigating these challenges head-on.
Now more than ever, our community needs access to care. And now more than ever, we need our community to help sustain this work. Whether it’s through a donation, advocacy, or simply spreading the word about the value of mental health services, your voice and support can help protect access to care for the most vulnerable members of our community.
Make a Donation Today at https://www.bertnash.org/support
Contact Your Elected Officials - Encourage your city, county, state, and federal leaders to invest in behavioral health care for all.