WICHITA — Mental health advocates say funding cuts to mental health services in Kansas have spawned layoffs at some of the state’s 26 health centers. Many of them are positions that help families in crisis manage day-to-day care. There’s a $30 million budget hole for mental health for the current fiscal year, the Association of Community Mental Health Centers said last month a figure that the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services does not dispute. Association director Kyle Kessler says funding cuts will result in an estimated the loss of 200 positions statewide in mental health centers. The latest funding cuts…
Author: KMAN Staff
The Manhattan Fire Department was dispatched to 2033 Shirley Lane for a report of a structure fire Saturday just before noon. Upon arrival crews found a one story duplex with smoke coming from a basement window on the rear of the duplex. Crews entered the structure and quickly extinguished a room and contents fire in the basement. The fire reached a second alarm before it was contained within 15 minutes with a total of 18 firefighters responding.. Two occupants of the structure were home at the time of the fire and were able to exit without injury prior to arrival…
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City says about 790,000 of its members are being notified that some of their personal information has been compromised in a data breach. The Kansas City Star reports that the issue occurred at Newkirk Products, which issues health care identification cards. Newkirk discovered the breach July 6. BlueKC spokeswoman Kelly Cannon says the breach didn’t include Social Security numbers or medical or financial information but did include names, addresses and some plan information. Newkirk and BlueKC say there’s no evidence so far that the data has been used inappropriately. People…
TOPEKA — Kansas says it has eliminated a waiting list for physically disabled residents who are seeking in-home services such as help with bathing and feeding. Secretary Tim Keck of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services told a legislative oversight committee Friday that the last 438 people on the list as of mid-July have been offered services. The services allow physically disabled Kansas to continue living independent or with family members rather than in a nursing home. About 6,000 physically disabled people receive services. Keck acknowledged that going forward people may wait for services after initially seeking them. But…
TOPEKA — A state official says Kansas hopes to increase the capacity of its mental hospital in Osawatomie by 60 beds by the end of the year. Secretary Timothy Keck of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services said Friday that the key issue for Osawatomie State Hospital is staffing. At the end of July, 89 of the hospital’s 422 positions were vacant, or 21 percent. But that’s a significant improvement since December, and Keck said new hiring continues. KDADS dropped the hospital’s capacity to 146 beds from 206 beds last year to accommodate renovations meant to satisfy the federal government.…
Today’s guests on In Focus were: Rob Ott, Manhattan Public Works Director Gregg Eyestone, Riley County Extension Horticulture Agent Ryan Pickett, District Director with Boy Scouts of America
WICHITA — A new government report shows the value of land and buildings on Kansas farms fell 7 percent last year. The National Agricultural Statistics Service said Friday farm real estate value in 2016 averaged $1,880 per acre. That is down $150 per acre compared to the previous year. Cropland values fell 7 percent to $2,050 per acre. Cropland with irrigation averaged $3,000 an acre, down $270 per acre. Cropland without irrigation averaged $1,940, down $150 an acre. Pastureland was valued at $1,290 per acre, down $100 per acre. The agency said cash rents paid to landlords for cropland was mixed with…
TOPEKA — Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration has gotten a preview of what working with a less conservative Legislature could be like. It came Friday in the form of an oversight committee’s angry, bipartisan scolding over issues within the state’s Medicaid program. The public dressing-down of Department of Health and Environment officials came only three days after the state’s primary election. Voters showed their unhappiness with Brownback by ousting at least 11 conservative Republican incumbents in the Legislature. Members of the House-Senate oversight committee were upset about budget-balancing cuts in payments to pharmacies, doctors and hospitals providing services to Medicaid participants. They…
TOPEKA — Authorities say a suspect in a killing at a Topeka hotel has been captured in Missouri. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that authorities are working on the extradition of the 26-year-old man. He was captured Wednesday in Platte County, Missouri. Topeka police spokeswoman Amy McCarter said Thursday that the man initially was identified as a person of interest in the death of 18-year-old Sarah Crawford but is now considered a suspect. Crawford was found Saturday in a room at the Ramada West hotel. Police said they believe Crawford died after an argument and that she and the suspect are thought to…
Officers with the Riley County Police Department arrested Aaron Finch, 29, of Manhattan while in the 1700 block of Ranser Road on Thursday Aug. 4 at approximately 3:30 PM. Finch was arrested on the offense of criminal damage to property which was listed on a warrant with “no bond.” At the time of this report Finch was confined at the Riley County Jail. Andre Quinton Jr., 33, of Topeka, Kansas was arrested while at the Riley County Police Department on Thursday at approximately 2:25 PM. Quinton was arrested on the offense of failure to appear with an original offense of…