Governor Laura Kelly wants to expand medicaid because she says the state’s mental health performance is “pathetic.” A nationwide report recently ranked Kansas last in the country for access to mental health services. Kelly says Kansas taxpayers are already paying into medicaid but not getting the benefits without expansion. She says we don’t have resources to treat them without the billions of dollars of our own taxpayers dollars -that we are currently leaving behind in Washington D. C.. The group Mental Health America ranked Kansas last in the country in access to mental health care. Kelly wants to see the state expand medicaid so more Kansans can afford mental health services. She also called for better funding of mental health services in schools. Kelly has tried and failed to push expansion in the past. Republican leaders in the statehouse oppose it. The Legislature is considering other proposals that address mental health, like a bill adding money for youth crisis centers. Lawmakers could approve that plan in the coming weeks.
