top of page

Strategic Plan

The 2023 Strategic Plan for the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center

The strategic planning process is a means to provide all stakeholders, including people who work, volunteer, refer, receive, or pay for services, with a clear picture of current processes and goals the BNC will strive to achieve in the future. This strategic plan is a road map which has taken into consideration multiple factors, both internal and external, as well as feedback from multiple groups of community members who either influence or benefit from the services which are provided.

​

The BNC strategic planning process starts with a clearly stated mission statement (why we exist) and our values (beliefs which guide actions and decisions). These essential areas, developed by BNC team members and approved by the Governing Board of Directors, drive the strategic plan, which provides us with a vision for the future.

Strategic Priorities

​The BNC has chosen to develop an integrated strategic plan following the Five Pillars described by Quint Studer in his book Hardwiring Excellence. These Five Pillars include: Service, Quality, People, Growth, and Finance. In addition to the Pillars, the BNC strategic plan also integrates crucial factors relating to accessibility and cultural diversity plans.

_BNC7519.jpg

Background

The Bert Nash Center (BNC) is the designated community mental health center & the certified community behavioral health clinic (CCBHC) for Douglas County, KS.

The BNC was founded in 1950 in honor of Dr. Bert Nash, an educational psychologist at the University of Kansas and respected community leader. Today, the BNC is a licensed, comprehensive organization committed to providing research-based services to improve the lives of Douglas County residents. It serves as a safety-net and essential mental healthcare provider for children, families, and adults regardless of their ability to pay.

Strategic Planning Process

The BNC strategic planning process starts with a clearly stated mission statement (why we exist) and our values (beliefs which guide actions and decisions). These essential areas, developed by BNC team members and approved by the Governing Board of Directors, drive the strategic plan, which provides us with a vision for the future.​This strategic plan was developed from January of 2021 to November of 2021. A summary of strategic planning activities includes:

BNStratPlan-process_1.png

  • Teams, departments, and Board members completed a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis.

​

  • SWOT performed of 2018-2021 financial data

​

  • Teams and departments completed an Accessibility Analysis. 

​

  • Teams and departments completed a Risk Assessment Analysis. 

​

  • All BNC team members participated in focus groups & strategic planning exercise sessions.

​

  • Review results of our 2020 Consumer Satisfaction Survey to inform & influence strategic plan.

​

  • A community partner feedback survey to key collaborators for feedback regarding experiences with BNC programs and services.

​

  • Community listening sessions to gain feedback from those who have experience directly and indirectly with the services and programs offered by BNC. 

​

  • Professionally facilitated BNC team member focus groups assessing Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Belonging (IDEB). 

​

  • Organization-wide goal and objective setting.

​

  • A legislative and policy analysis at the federal, state, and local levels in partnership with the National Council for Mental Well-being, Association of Community Mental Health Centers of KS (ACMHCK), Douglas County Government, and the City of Lawrence, KS. 

​

  • Participation in the Douglas County Behavioral Health Leadership Coalition strategy and planning sessions.

S.W.O.T Internal Analysis

  • Investment in the provision of evidence-based practices

  • A large number of clinically-licensed providers and medication providers

  • Strong Community Engagement department and Endowment Board of Trustees

  • Strong community presence and brand recognition

  • Overall financial strength and stability

  • Commitment to organizational best practices, including CCBHC and CARF

  • Strong relationships with Douglas County and the City of Lawrence

  • ​​​Dedication of BNC team members

  • Strong community partnerships

  • Commitment to a growth orientation vs. scarcity orientation

  • Use of data to inform program and financial planning

  • Commitment to investment in our team members through compensation, training, and professional development

  • We are a preferred resource rather than a last resort

  • Dedicated Governing Board of Directors, Endowment Board of Trustees, Finance Committee, and Investment Committee

  • Some teams feel a lack of connection to the Executive Team

  • Lack of resources dedicated to recruiting team members

  • Level of turnover on some teams

  • Dated website, lacking interactive functionality

  • Challenge to balance legacy policies and practices with new processes

  • Limited support staff (IT, Finance, Front Desk, etc.) to respond to rapidly growing clinical services

  • Diversity among providers, particularly as it relates to race

  • BrightEHR record system is dated and poses limitations

  • Lack of diversity in proportion of revenue mix

  • Lack of effective communication, particularly from Executive Team members

  • Compensation of team members

  • Silos between departments, teams, and functions

  • Facilities do not meet our space or functional needs​​

  • Investment in the provision of evidence-based practices

  • A large number of clinically-licensed providers and medication providers

  • Strong Community Engagement department and Endowment Board of Trustees

  • Strong community presence and brand recognition

  • Overall financial strength and stability

  • Commitment to organizational best practices, including CCBHC and CARF

  • ​​Strong relationships with Douglas County and the City of Lawrence

  • Dedication of BNC team members

  • Strong community partnerships

  • Commitment to a growth orientation vs. scarcity orientation

  • Use of data to inform program and financial planning

  • Commitment to investment in our team members through compensation, training, and professional development

  • We are a preferred resource rather than a last resort

  • Dedicated Governing Board of Directors, Endowment Board of Trustees, Finance Committee, and Investment Committee

  • Workforce shortage

  • Compassion fatigue and burnout

  • Local & national competitive market for mental healthcare workforce

  • Local community-based housing availability and resources

  • Telehealth services being reduced or limited

  • National, state, and local division of culture and politics

  • Lack of Medicaid expansion

  • Funding mechanisms that are not sustainable and/or are at risk for funding cuts

  • Lack of true integrated care in community; organizational silos with specialized services

bottom of page