OTTAWA — A local mental health expert said she’s guardedly optimistic about a plan announced this week by Gov. Sam Brownback and Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer to cut Medicaid costs and overhaul health programs for the poor, elderly and disabled; and includes a reshuffling of the health programs. If the state properly funds it, the new system, which would be called KanCare, could be an improvement, said Diane Drake, Elizabeth Layton Center excecutive director. The plan would set up what is called managed care, and calls for private contractors to bid for three-year contracts to provide coordinated health care for those people. That means that the Layton Center would have to coordinate its mental health services closely with other medical entities offering other health services, she said. That’s a good approach because many of the Layton clients have significant physical conditions that mean their life spans are shorter than average, she said. Colyer said that the changes will save Kansas more than $850 million over five years in what has been one of the fastest-growing budgets. The proposal also includes reshuffling state programs among state departments. The Department of Social Rehabilitation Services, long a target of conservative legislators, will lose several programs to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and the Department of Aging. Drake said many of the programs that affect the Franklin and Miami counties mental health agency will end up in the Department of Aging. Drake said she’s not sure how that will affect her agency but if most of the officials who handle the programs are moved to the new department, the disruption may not be as great, she said.
Thursday, Nov. 10, 3 p.m.
