Topeka - Youth in need of mental health services in the
State of Kansas are now receiving treatment at Psychiatric Residential Treatment
Facilities (PRTFs). Kansas Health Solutions, the State’s managed care
organization for mental health, successfully began operations on July 1st.
The Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) worked with
the Kansas Health Policy Authority (KHPA), the Juvenile Justice Authority (JJA),
and Level V & VI Service Providers to develop PRTFs in response to
recommendations made by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
The PRTFs were developed to ensure that they would function within federal
guidelines.
PRTFs provide active treatment in a structured therapeutic environment for
children and youth with significant functional impairments resulting from an
identified mental health diagnosis, and/or a mental health diagnosis with a
co-occurring disorder. Youth not meeting the guidelines, are placed in a Youth
Residential Centers.
“Kansas youth needing services will be well served under this new system,”
said SRS Secretary Don Jordan, “as they will continue to receive quality care in
quality settings.”
During the first month of operations, Kansas Health Solutions has processed
218 requests regarding youth who may be in need of admission to a PRTF.
Thirty-three of those requests are in progress, 139 resulted in a youth’s
admission to a PRTF, and 46 were diverted to community care.
Extensive community and provider training sessions were conducted to ensure
that systems were fully prepared for the transition and youth did not have any
disruption in placement or services. Minor issues were identified and were
resolved prior to the July 1 service transition. Post-implementation meetings
are being held to support and ensure continued success.