GARNETT — The head of SEK Mental Health said Gov. Sam Brownback and a large crop of new legislators are bent on cutting mental health services but have a lot to learn about those services and there’s not much time to educate them. Bob Chase told the Anderson County Review that mental health services are an important safety net for many Kansans and the more than $15 million in cuts to mental health funding statewide has the potential for tragedy. Mental health services have faced a series of state and federal cuts in recent years, he said. SEK Mental Hhealth lost $300,000 in cuts last year and Brownback’s proposed cuts could cost the center another $500,000, Chase said. Mental health centers like SEK are required to provide mental health services to people regardless of their ability to pay. He said because more people are unemployed or otherwise struggling because of the economy, the need for services has increased. SEK serves Anderson County and five other counties.
Monday, Feb. 7, 2 p.m.
