HPMHC
Walt Hill, long-time executive director of High Plains Mental Health Center, has announced he will retire effective January 2024.
Hill has had a long and illustrious career in community mental health services, serving High Plains Mental Health Center for a total of 45 years. Hill has served as executive director since 2002. Hill began his career at HPMHC in 1978 as an outpatient therapist. He was later promoted to director of clinical services before becoming executive director.
During Hill’s tenure as executive director, High Plains Mental Health Center saw significant growth and expansion throughout northwest Kansas.
The number of service locations increased to include more than 50 outreach sites, including the addition of telehealth services in most of the public school districts in HPMHC’s 20-county catchment area and outreach clinics in many hospitals and public health departments.
Hill, an early leader in the use of telehealth for mental health services, was instrumental in securing crisis screening access for every county hospital and county jail in northwest Kansas.
Recently, HPMHC became one of the first Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics in the state of Kansas, further expanding services and “raising the bar” in providing local behavioral health services.
“I am incredibly proud of all High Plains Mental Health Center has accomplished over the years. We have seen incredible growth in programs, staffing and the number of clients we are able to serve every year,” Hill said.
“None of it would have been possible without the passion and hard work of our incredible staff. I am grateful to all of them for their contributions and for the long-standing support of all our community partners and counties in Northwest Kansas. It has been my great honor to serve this agency and this region for so many years.”
The certified clinics involve expanded substance use disorder treatment programs, including the addition of medication-assisted treatment for opioid disorders; an assertive community treatment team serving Ellis and Russell counties; and greater focus on whole-person healthcare.
Additionally, High Plains has integrated bilingual Spanish-speaking services at all levels of care, including support staff, case managers and therapists.
Jail-based services have also expanded following the addition of assisted outpatient treatment program in Ellis County for justice-involved clients.
During Walt’s tenure, High Plains became an early implementer of the community-based Mental Health First Aid training program. To date, more than 3,300 northwest Kansas residents have been certified in the program by High Plains staff trainers.
High Plains Mental Health Center has secured the services of the Boland Group, an executive search consulting firm that will assist with searching for a new executive director. Both internal and external candidates will be considered. The Boland Group has successfully placed new administrative staff at several other Kansas Community Mental Health Centers. The High Plains governing board, consisting of representatives from all 20 counties served, will lead the search and hiring process.
“On behalf of the board, I want to thank Walt for his many years of service and all of his efforts to advance behavioral health care in northwest Kansas,” said Joel Hiesterman, board president. “We congratulate him and wish him all the best in retirement, while also looking forward to what will be a promising new chapter for High Plains.”