ABOUT US
Description
Founded on November 19, 1956, Pawnee Mental Health Services is a licensed not-for-profit community mental health center, one of 26 community mental health centers in the state of Kansas. Pawnee is also a licensed Substance Abuse treatment facility. Each center must meet standards of quality in several areas, including the provision of specified programs, the employment and supervision of staff, and the development of standardized clinical practices. These standards are set by federal and state legislation and regulation, and monitored in Kansas by the State Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, and the office of Addiction and Prevention Services.
Pawnee Mental Health Services is accessible to clients regardless of age, race, color, national origin, disability, diagnosis, or ability to pay, and offers a range of services including outpatient care, medication management, day treatment, case management, emergency services, consultation, and education.
Our Mission
The Mission of Pawnee Mental Health Services is to enhance and strengthen the wellness of our communities by providing quality mental health and substance abuse services.
Board of Directors
Pawnee is governed by a Board of Directors appointed by the Commissioners of the ten counties served by the agency. Board members and alternates are appointed to three-year terms by their respective county commissions upon vote from the existing Board.
| PAWNEE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES | |
|---|---|
| Board of Directors | |
| 2009 | |
CLAY COUNTY
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MITCHELL COUNTY
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CLOUD COUNTY
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POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY
|
GEARY COUNTY
|
REPUBLIC COUNTY
|
JEWELL COUNTY
|
RILEY COUNTY
|
MARSHALL COUNTY
|
WASHINGTON COUNTY
|
BOARD APPOINTMENTS
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Management Team
The structure and management of Pawnee is based on a program model that emphasizes services provided across the 10-county catchment area. Program Directors, regardless of their location, are responsible for management of their program services across the entire ten counties that Pawnee serves. This aids in better coordination and equitability of services throughout our communities.
The Pawnee Management Team consists of the following members:
Executive Director - Robbin Waldner Cole, LSCSW - Manhattan Phone: 785-587-4300
Assistant Director - Karen Smothers, LMSW- Manhattan Phone: 785-587-4346
Chief Financial Officer - Robert Hanson - Manhattan Phone: 785-587-4346
Human Resources Director- Loren Streit- Manhattan Phone: 785-587-4346
Quality Management Director -Jennifer Walters- Manhattan Phone: 785-587-4346
Training, Education, and Support Services Director -Mary Heath, M.S.- Manhattan Phone: 785-587-4310
Medical Services Program Director - Krishan Lassi, M.D.- Manhattan Phone: 785-587-4310
Community Based Services Director -Vanessa Jones, MSW - Junction City Phone: 785-762-5250
Community Support Services Director - Charlene Trost - Concordia Phone: 785-243-8900
Crisis Services Program Director - Terry Becker, LMLP - Junction City Phone: 785-762-5250
Outpatient Services Program Director - Terry Pfannenstiel, Ph.D., LMLP, LCMFT - Manhattan Phone: 785-587-4300
Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Program Director- Starla Bocanegra - Manhattan Phone: 785-587-4310
Treatment and Support Team
You can count on caring, professional treatment at Pawnee Mental Health Services. Pawnee professional staff adhere to high standards set by the state of Kansas which assure that all clinical treatment is supervised and monitored, and all treatment plans are reviewed by staff psychiatrists. Every service provider participates in regular clinical supervision. In addition, our providers continually update their knowledge and treatment skills through professional development.
Medical staff - Diagnosis and medication management Our medical staff consists of physicians specializing in psychiatry, advanced registered nurse practitioners, and registered nurses. Our physicians are licensed by the Kansas Board of Healing Arts and the nursing staff is licensed by the Kansas Board of Nursing.
Psychotherapy Staff Our outpatient clinical staff includes licensed doctorate level and licensed clinical masters level psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, and professional counselors. Our clinicians are licensed by the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board.
Case management, attendant care, education, and prevention Other staff members work under the direct supervision of licensed clinicians and support individual clients in achieving their specific treatment goals.
Administrative and support staff and others bring the total number of Pawnee employees to over 300 across our ten county catchment area.
Our History
1956 - Riley County Mental Health Services was created through advocacy and education work done by Riley County Mental Health Association. It opened in November, located in Memorial Hospital with a staff of one.
1957 - Kansas Legislature passed a law authorizing county commissioners to levy a tax to support community mental health centers.
1963 - Geary County joined catchment area.
1965 - Clay and Marshall Counties joined catchment area. Center was renamed North Central Kansas Guidance Center.
1965 - Cloud County Commissioners agreed to fund Sunflower Mental Health Center. Citizen support and education was led by the Cloud County Mental Health Association.
1968 - Pottawatomie County joined NCKGC catchment area.
1972 - Jewell and Republic Counties joined Sunflower catchment area.
1973 - Mitchell County joined Sunflower catchment area.
1974 - Washington County joined Sunflower catchment area.
1977 - The two centers affiliated, incorporating as Pawnee Comprehensive Mental Health Center.
1981 - Merger was completed under one centralized board of directors, with two individuals from each county.
1982 - Board of Directors changed name to Pawnee Mental Health Services, Inc.
1988 - Pawnee Mental Health Unit at The Saint Mary Hospital (now Mercy Health Center) in Manhattan opened.
1988 - New Pawnee office building in Junction City dedicated.
1997 - Topeka State Hospital closed; Pawnee shifted to Osawatomie State Hospital catchment area, with mandate to reduce state hospitalization, emphasis on community-based treatment.
2000 - New office building in Concordia opened in May.
2001 - PMHS and Mercy Health Center ended their 13-year partnership to operate a psychiatric unit at the hospital.
2003 - Pawnee changed its organizational structure from a regional model to a program model.
2006 - Pawnee began a year-long celebration of its 50 years of service.
2007 - Pawnee Endowment Association purchases Hayes Drive building