Kansas sits on the verge of building its first new state mental hospital in more than a century, even as officials acknowledge the original plans may not meet the region’s needs.
The $40 million 50-bed facility planned for a spot at Meridian Avenue and MacArthur Road in southwest Wichita is planned for completion in 2026 — with the expectation of expansion when more tax dollars become available.
“Something needs to give if someone needs that kind of care,” said Jennifer Wilson, director of crisis services at mental health care network COMCARE. “Our other option is two and a half hours away.”
Half of the hospital’s 50 beds would serve acute patient care. The other 25 slots will be reserved for jail inmates needing evaluation or treatment.
An advisory committee overseeing the hospital’s construction wants the plans adjusted to double the size to accommodate 100 patients.
Consider the demand for a south-central Kansas facility. Sedgwick County alone saw 57 residents admitted to state-run mental health hospitals in 2023 and 62 the year before. The county accounts for 15% of admissions to Larned State Hospital and 19% to Osawatomie State Hospital.