Through changing times, Bert Nash Center’s focus remains constant: the welfare of its clients and support for its dedicated staff

Elizabeth Day, a Child and Family Services team leader for the Bert Nash Center, stopped by Patrick Schmitz’s office this week. She wanted to deliver a message to the Bert Nash CEO in person.

“I said that I am glad and proud that he is here,” said, Day, who has been a WRAP (Working to Recognize Alternative Possibilities) in-school therapist for seven years and a Child and Family Services team leader for four years. “I profoundly appreciate his vision of agency excellence, his intentional efforts at service improvement, community collaboration and employee care. And that this agency needs such leadership and I am proud to be part of a value-driven agency that lives its values.”

Her sentiments are shared by many others, including Carla DeHetre, the WRAP team leader.

“Throughout the years, I have had the pleasure of working alongside wonderful people who share a passion for helping others and with clients who have taught me much about resiliency, trust and humanity,” DeHetre said. “Recently, I was given the opportunity to shift roles and become a team leader for the first time. I could not have done this, nor could I continue, without the support and guidance I have received from my fellow team leaders, department director and more specifically the leadership team at the Center.”

Mary Neal, lead Health Home case manager for the Center, said, “I enjoy being a case manager at Bert Nash because the work is interesting and rewarding. It’s also very challenging at times and no two days are alike. My colleagues are supportive and the resiliency of my clients never ceases to amaze me. Even after 10 years, I feel as if I’m still learning and growing through my work with clients, colleagues and other community members. Also, Bert Nash provides a lot of workshops and trainings related to this field. The Bert Nash Center has been a great fit for me.”

Rhonda Stubbs, attendant care/respite supervisor, said, “I have worked at the Bert Nash Center for 25 years in Child and Family Services. I love my job. Our work is hard and tiring, but helping an individual to identify their strengths and supporting them in meeting their goals is what this is all about. I see the Bert Nash Center staff as part of my family. We support one another when work and life are difficult, and celebrate successes and achievements.”

Another longtime employee, Nancy Garrett, a Child and Family Services therapist, echoed those comments and noted that growth and change are a process.

“Having been a Bert Nash employee for over 25 years, I have seen ups and I have seen downs, as is expected in a growing agency. With every gain, there is a loss. Equally true, is the fact that for every loss there is a gain.

While I grieve over some of our recent losses, I continue to focus on our recent gains,” Garrett said. “Our leadership is making difficult decisions, based upon their experience, insight, and talent. I am thankful to have them. I only ask our community to have patience through this time of growth, and remember the gains left to come.”

As reported, the Bert Nash Center recently received the resignations of seven members of its Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) team. They each gave a 30-day notice. Throughout the transition, the focus, as always, remains on the welfare of the Center’s clients and support of the Bert Nash Center staff, said CEO Schmitz.

“We are sorry for any inconvenience this may bring some of our clients and are assuring people that the Center is dedicated to providing the high quality of services our clients are accustomed to and we are in the process of transferring care of those clients who are impacted by this change to other Bert Nash therapists,” Schmitz said.

Letters were mailed to more than 250 clients – of the approximately 5,000 clients the Center serves every year – informing them of the changes, though not all of those on that mailing list are current or active DBT clients.

“We are making every effort, either by letter or phone or whatever contact information we have, to reach out to our clients,” Schmitz said.

As far as staff turnover, Human Resources Director Scott Criqui, said the rate is not much different from previous years and within the industry’s average. Bert Nash employs over 200 people.

“We want people to stay and grow and develop at the Center, but the reality is people change jobs. Still anytime someone leaves Bert Nash it can be hard,” Criqui said. “However, all of us here do our best to create an environment that is engaging and welcoming with the goal of retaining staff to deliver our mission.”

The Bert Nash Center has long been a supporter and proponent of Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Schmitz pledged continued support for the program.

“We’ve been supportive, as a Center, of the DBT program for many years. We believe strongly in this evidence-based practice,” Schmitz said. “And, as always, we will determine what is the best treatment for each client, based on their level of care, presenting issues and medical necessity, and they will be assigned to the appropriate level of care.”

Other members of the Adult Services staff have stepped up to help with the transition of DBT clients while the Center is actively recruiting new members to the DBT team.

“I am so proud of the 200-plus Bert Nash staff that is doing everything it can to serve the needs of our clients. We operate with a team-based approach to client care,” Schmitz said. “Many of our clients are served by a multitude of providers. We see clients as clients of the Center, not a specific individual.”

Mac Crawford, a Child and Family Services team leader who is trained in DBT and provides consultation to the adolescent program, said, “Bert Nash has always been a place that has helped to inspire and support me. The colleagues and mentors that I have been so lucky to have found in this organization have always gone above and beyond to support not only my professional life, but also my personal life, and the community I care so deeply about. I am reminded every day of the depths of human compassion and feel blessed to work alongside some of the most caring and resourceful people I know.”

DBT is just one of 40 programs offered by the Center.

“All of our providers have training in how to deal with clients who are struggling; that’s not something unique to DBT,” Schmitz said.

 Brad Burnside, chair of the Bert Nash Governing Board of Directors, voiced his support for the Center’s administrative team and the entire staff. 

“The board has the utmost confidence in the Bert Nash leadership team and stands firmly behind Patrick, the Executive Team and the entire Bert Nash staff,” Burnside said. “We are excited about the future of Bert Nash and its service to the community and fully support the direction of the Center.”

The Bert Nash Center’s reputation as a leader in the mental health field extends well beyond Douglas County.

“Bert Nash has long been seen as a leader in community mental health at the state, regional and national levels,” said Kyle Kessler, director of the Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas. “The organization’s pursuit of trauma-informed care and evidence-based practices as well as prevention-oriented programs like Mental Health First Aid and Applied Suicide Intervention and Skills Training (ASIST) show their commitment not just to Douglas County, but to our state and the field of behavioral health care. From treating youth with early symptoms of anxiety or depression to treating adults with severe and persistent mental illness, Bert Nash remains a leader.”

William Welch, peer support team leader, who is back for his second stint at the Center, said, while working in the mental health field is neither easy nor glamorous, he is proud to be part of the Bert Nash team.

“I have always felt supported both personally and professionally here at the Center. I have been able to embrace a myriad of professional development opportunities that have allowed me to flourish in several of my roles here over the years,” Welch said. “Bert Nash has continuously embraced and elevated peer support in a way that has been incredibly beneficial not only to the peer support staff that work here, but most importantly to the clients we serve. Bert Nash staff have been like a family to me, and that is not something I say lightly. Even on my darkest days, I have had people lift me up and surround me with the best thoughts. I am grateful for that.”

Lisa Cyrus, Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment lead case manager, said, “My experience at Bert Nash is that it is a place where staff provides authentic support to each other both in celebratory and challenging times. I have found Bert Nash to be a place that encourages strong family quality of life, and I appreciate that very much.”

Rachel Neill, supportive housing and hospital discharge team leader, said, “What I love about working at Bert Nash is it has allowed me to utilize my talents and skills. It has celebrated my creativity and has given me a project I can sink my teeth into. It has been dynamic and fun, and I have a fabulous team, all my staff, peers, and supervisors, who support me and encourage me to be the best I can,” Neill said. “The people I work with are dedicated and professional, giving tremendous energy to their work. We laugh and have fun, while giving the best of ourselves to our clients and to each other.”

Danielle Jehle, behavioral health consultant, added, “One thing that I really appreciate about the work environment at Bert Nash is that management works really hard to facilitate clear communication and transparency. I also really enjoy the positive outlook and energy to embrace new opportunities and changes specifically directed at improvements for clients. It feels really good to be a part of a team that is working together, at all levels, to meet the needs of individuals and the larger community as well as our own staff members.”

The Bert Nash Center has served the Douglas County community for nearly 70 years. While emphasizing that all of the current Bert Nash programs and services will continue to be available to clients and the community, CEO Schmitz said the Center will also continue to listen to the needs of its clients and to take care of its staff. The Center might even consider providing its staff safety and training with the assistance of a Safety Management Group, which can help both the staff and the facility. This can help the employees gain the required knowledge about ensuring safety to avoid any disruption in operation or potential injury to themselves.

“If anyone has questions or concerns, we encourage them to contact us. We are the best source of information for the plan to move forward,” Schmitz said. “We are always open to change and how we can improve our delivery systems. Our vision is to be the behavioral and mental health provider of choice for all of Douglas County. But we also want to be the employer of choice for those who are interested in mental health work. We’re moving toward that goal every day.”