By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
KVC Hospitals announced last week it will be opening a new acute and residential juvenile psychiatric facility at 3000 New Way Blvd. in Hays.
The new space in Hays is being renovated and will be open in January. It will be adjacent to the HaysMed Business Center.
The new location will have 14 acute patient beds along with a yet-to-be-determined number of residential patient beds.
The acute program will serve youth ages 6 to 18 years who are struggling with depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, the impacts of trauma and other behavioral health needs.
The acute program's goal is to help stabilize children and return them home as soon as safely possible, equipped with the skills, support and resources they need to continue treatment in their community, according to KVC's website.
Length of stay is different for each child, but typically, a child receiving care in acute care stays four to six days, according to KVC.
KVC's current residential facility is in the Hadley Center in Hays. That site also housed acute patients from 2010 to 2019. KVC contracted with the state as part of the privatization of juvenile psychiatric care after the children’s hospital at Larned State Hospital closed.
It can also discourage or delay parents from getting mental health treatment fro their children, he said.
High Plains Mental Health has a 20-county catchment basin in northwest Kansas and was referring 180 youth per year to acute psychiatric treatment as of 2019.
Ziegler said the acute beds are much needed in western Kansas, and she thought reinstating beds in Hays will cut down travel time for juveniles.
KVC has a no-eject, no-reject contract with the state for juvenile patients in western Kansas. After the Hays hospital reaches capacity, the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services would maintain a waiting list.
KVC cited CMS' licensure as a reason they closed the acute beds in Hays in 2019. CMS required KVC to have acute patients and residential patients in separate spaces.
The new facility will allow that, said Taylor Ziegler, KVC director of nursing.
"I know we've worked really hard to enhance our security and safety measures. I think our new facility will allow our clients to be outside and do some activities and maintain their privacy and have safety and security too," Ziegler said.
Acute care patients are required to stay in the building. However, residential patients are allowed to spend time in the community.
"The residential kids, we still definitely want to send them into the community and provide them with those opportunities to learn and grow and do activities as a kid, but still stay connected to a community setting," Ziegler said.
"We will have to continue to use the community for those resources, but I think it will work out for both programs."
Residential treatment generally lasts 30 to 90 days and is for youth who have been stabilized.
The hospital continues to work on retention and recruitment of staff. KVC has already started efforts to make sure the acute-care beds are fully staffed when the new facility opens in January, Zielger said.
KVC is actively fundraising to help support this expansion in western
Kansas. A lead gift of $250,000 has been given by the Dane G. Hansen
Foundation. Ziegler said KVC is continuing to look for resources and funding to support services such as those being offered in Hays.
However, she said the opening of the new facility in Hays is not dependent on fundraising.
“We are thrilled for this next chapter for KVC and the western Kansas community. Our expanded services in Hays will bring critical resources directly to young people in an under-served region of our state,” said Bobby Eklofe, president of KVC Hospitals in a news release. “We are privileged to provide these services and to be a source of hope for children and families.”