"TOPEKA — Several Kansas psychiatric facilities that specialize in treating severely disturbed children are closing their doors or scaling back operations in the wake of a new state policy aimed at cutting costs and limiting reliance on inpatient care.
A year ago in Kansas, there were about 500 children living in what are called psychiatric residential treatment facilities, or PRTFs.
Then in January, officials at the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services ordered a major reduction in referrals to the facilities, citing both the need to cut spending and concerns that local community mental health centers had been too quick in referring children for inpatient care.
By July, fewer than 300 children were staying at the facilities.
Early last month, St. Francis Community Services announced it would close its 34-bed facility in Ellsworth within 60 days; its 33-bed PRTF in Salina will remain open.
“We had two campuses 30 miles apart from each other – both of them half-full,” said Cheryl Rathbun, vice president of clinical services at St. Francis. “It just didn’t make business sense to keep both of them open.”
United Methodist Youthville soon followed suit, announcing last week that it would close its 56-bed PRTF in Newton by the end of November. Its 44-bed facility in Dodge City will remain open.
“There’s been a significant reduction in referrals,” said Youthville Executive Director Shelley Duncan. “For a while I thought this might pass..."
Read more at KHI News:
The KHI News Service is an editorially-independent program of the Kansas Health Institute and is committed to timely, objective and in-depth coverage of health issues and the policy making environment.
"TOPEKA — Several Kansas psychiatric facilities that specialize in treating severely disturbed children are closing their doors or scaling back operations in the wake of a new state policy aimed at cutting costs and limiting reliance on inpatient care.
A year ago in Kansas, there were about 500 children living in what are called psychiatric residential treatment facilities, or PRTFs.
Then in January, officials at the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services ordered a major reduction in referrals to the facilities, citing both the need to cut spending and concerns that local community mental health centers had been too quick in referring children for inpatient care.
By July, fewer than 300 children were staying at the facilities.
Early last month, St. Francis Community Services announced it would close its 34-bed facility in Ellsworth within 60 days; its 33-bed PRTF in Salina will remain open.
“We had two campuses 30 miles apart from each other – both of them half-full,” said Cheryl Rathbun, vice president of clinical services at St. Francis. “It just didn’t make business sense to keep both of them open.”
United Methodist Youthville soon followed suit, announcing last week that it would close its 56-bed PRTF in Newton by the end of November. Its 44-bed facility in Dodge City will remain open.
“There’s been a significant reduction in referrals,” said Youthville Executive Director Shelley Duncan. “For a while I thought this might pass..."
Read more at KHI News:
The KHI News Service is an editorially-independent program of the Kansas Health Institute and is committed to timely, objective and in-depth coverage of health issues and the policy making environment.
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