2022 Year in Review

1 SEKMHC Year in Review With Appreciation to Our Board We greatly appreciate the work our board members devote to our agency, our employees, and our communities. Our board is comprised of members from the areas we serve. County commissioners from each county in our catchment area appoint two of their constituents to serve on our board. Board members represent the geographic area from which they reside. SEKMHC deeply values our supportive board members as we continue to grow our services. Dana Spencer, Kenneth McWhirter, Walt Regehr Jr., Jeff Fischer, Linus Thuston, Stephanie Nichols. John “Marty” Dewitt, Sandi Solander, Tisha Coleman Pictured at left: Walt Regher celebrated 20 years of service on the SEKMHC board this year. CEO Nathan Fawson presented Walt with a gift at the July 18th board meeting. Board Members

SEKMHC Year in Review 2 Allen Anderson Bourbon Linn Neosho Woodson Established in 1961, Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center (SEKMHC) is a not-for-profit organization that provides, advocates, and coordinates quality mental health care, services, and programs in six counties in Southeast Kansas. Our teamof nearly 300 professionals and specialists collaborates to assess, treat, support, and coordinate therapy and services for clients. While we offer a wide array of mental healthcare treatment options to our clients, core services include: • Outpatient psychiatry • Therapy • Consultation • Substance use counseling • Case management • Educational and skill-building groups • Specialty training • Physical healthcare coordination • 24/7 Crisis intervention services In our Year in Review, we hope to share a brief snapshot of who we are and how we served Southeast Kansas in 2022. We look forward to many more amazing opportunities in 2023! Nathan Fawson, CEO WO AL AN LN BB NO Year in Review,

We became a CCBHC! 2022 was a big year for SEKMHC! Out of 26 community mental health centers in the state of Kansas, SEKMHC is one of the first five to earn certification as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). The CCBHC model of care concentrates on the overall health of a client, not just mental health. SEKMHC offers expanded services that promote whole-person wellness, while still delivering comprehensive behavioral health care. We provide an individualized experience when welcoming a client to our services with an emphasis on: • Cognitive behavioral therapy • Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) • Employment programming through Individual Placement and Support (IPS) • Expanded substance use disorder treatment What does being a CCBHC mean for our clients? We are building beyond what you might consider traditional services to offer comprehensive care to help clients in all aspects of their daily lives. We will integrate holistic care approaches, connect people with care coordination, and increase accessibility to services throughout our six-county catchment area. Each client gets a much more individualized experience, making our care more person-centered. Additionally, CCBHCs serve individuals regardless of their ability to pay or place of residence. We will strive to assist clients in recovery-oriented ways in their homes, in our communities, or via telehealth whenever possible. 3 SEKMHC Year in Review

SEKMHC Year in Review 4 SEKMHC adapted its current model of care to meet the federal requirements for certification. To do that, we have made efforts to: • Increase access to mental health treatment • Expand substance use disorder services and make them more available to clients • Advance integration of behavioral health care with physical health care • Improve utilization of evidence-based practices across the board We hosted two site visits from the state licensing committee that oversees the certification process. The committee documented our progress and offered feedback for provisional certification. What does this mean for the future? SEKMHC is a leader in Kansas’ effort to increase access to quality mental health care. As a rural CCBHC, we will be offering expanded whole-person services to treat the patient – body, mind, and soul. Recovery is possible when you treat the person, not just the mental health challenge. How did we become certified? CEO Nathan Fawson addressed the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) team during an official site visit as part of the CCBHC credentialing process.

5 SEKMHC Year in Review Doing it all, until she wasn’t “I didn’t want to give up. I had hope!” explained Marsha, a Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center client. “But, there were times I would rather die than have to live the rest of my life like that.” Marsha’s story is not an uncommon one. Millions of people struggle with anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues that drastically change their day-to-day lives. However, help is available. In the latter part of September 2021, Marsha was diagnosed with general anxiety disorder. Before her diagnosis, Marsha was an outgoing and independent 69-year-old mother and grandmother. She regularly attended her grandsons’ sporting events and activities. She bought her own groceries and paid her own bills. She traveled frequently and even rode the jet ski at the lake with her grandson. There was never a question of whether she needed help – she did it ALL! But, in early fall 2021, something changed. “It’s like I was all of a sudden wired,” said Marsha. “I couldn’t focus. I couldn’t sit still. My heart was beating too fast. I just didn’t feel like myself at all. I was worried about everything.” After a trip to the emergency room and trying medication prescribed by her primary care physician, Marsha’s condition only worsened to the point where her daughter Dawne called Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center’s crisis services. After Marsha spent a solid two months confined to her house due to anxiety, Dawne said she had never seen her mother this way. “Mom looked 100 years old bent over sitting in her chair, wringing her hands,” she commented. Through telehealth visits with outpatient therapist Dr. Antigone Means and in-person appointments with her crisis case manager Kylie Cromer in her home, Marsha eventually started to feel better. “When I first met her, she was nearly catatonic,” explained Kylie. “But, the more we visited, the more she came around. Her grandsons were big motivators for her. She wanted to make it to their activities and see them more. So, we worked toward focusing on the positives and making relevant steps to get to their milestone moments.” It took about a year, but Marsha is getting back out and doing “normal” things. “I still worry. But, I’m trying to just go and do things, instead of letting the anticipatory worry stop me,” expressed Marsha. In early fall 2022, Marsha built enough confidence to get out and about, again. In late September, she surprised everyone by making a trip an hour away to go shopping. “I about fell out of my chair when I found out,” exclaimed Kylie. “I’m so proud of her! During our sessions, we worked on a variety of different tasks…just everyday things and building up to bigger activities. To see her smiling about doing something she used to love was exciting! She’s put in the work to be successful!” While Marsha confesses she still has a ways to go before she’s completely back to her old self, she was happy to share that recently she’s been out to eat, got her driver’s license renewed, got a haircut and shopped for a new pair of shoes – all activities she had spent nearly a year avoiding. “I guess I just needed to rewire my brain,” Marsha said. “Kylie and Antigone helped me do that along with my current therapist Amy White-Blakesly. They talked me through so many of my concerns and helped me see that anxiety may be a part of things, but it doesn’t have to stop me from enjoying life. It’s good to feel real joy, again. I’m so glad we contacted Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center for assistance! Their services were phenomenal and they never made me feel bad for how I felt. I hope others can get help like I did!” A story of struggle and triumph

Through telehealth visits with outpatient therapist Dr. Antigone Means and in-person appointments with her crisis case manager Kylie Cromer in her home, Marsha eventually started to feel better. “When I first met her, she was nearly catatonic,” explained Kylie. “But, the more we visited, the more she came around. Her grandsons were big motivators for her. She wanted to make it to their activities and see them more. So, we worked toward focusing on the positives and making relevant steps to get to their milestone moments.” It took about a year, but Marsha is getting back out and doing “normal” things. “I still worry. But, I’m trying to just go and do things, instead of letting the anticipatory worry stop me,” expressed Marsha. In early fall 2022, Marsha built enough confidence to get out and about, again. In late September, she surprised everyone by making a trip an hour away to go shopping. “I about fell out of my chair when I found out,” exclaimed Kylie. “I’m so proud of her! During our sessions, we worked on a variety of different tasks…just everyday things and building up to bigger activities. To see her smiling about doing something she used to love was exciting! She’s put in the work to be successful!” While Marsha confesses she still has a ways to go before she’s completely back to her old self, she was happy to share that recently she’s been out to eat, got her driver’s license renewed, got a haircut and shopped for a new pair of shoes – all activities she had spent nearly a year avoiding. “I guess I just needed to rewire my brain,” Marsha said. “Kylie and Antigone helped me do that along with my current therapist Amy White-Blakesly. They talked me through so many of my concerns and helped me see that anxiety may be a part of things, but it doesn’t have to stop me from enjoying life. It’s good to feel real joy, again. I’m so glad we contacted Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center for assistance! Their services were phenomenal and they never made me feel bad for how I felt. I hope others can get help like I did!” Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center Crisis Services Anyone facing a mental health crisis can call for help using our toll-free number: 1-866-973-2241. Services are available 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. Read the full-length version of this recovery story on our Blog page at sekmhc.org. SEKMHC Year in Review 6

SEKMHC Training Day! Part of becoming a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) includes providing support and training opportunities for our team of employees. On June 23, SEKMHC held its first-ever all-staff training and retreat day for employees at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center in Iola. Nearly 250 employees attended the day of learning and celebration. Hosted by the KU Center for Telemedicine and Telehealth, expert guest speakers provided valuable insights to our team. Monica Kurylo, Ph.D., ABPP, professor and director of the Division of Psychology and director of neurorehabilitation psychology at The University of Kansas Health System, and Greg Nawalanic, Psy.D, clinical assistant professor and clinical director of psychology services at The University of Kansas Health System’s Strawberry Hill location, presented topics focused on self-care, resiliency, and the value of what our employees do. SEKMHC’s own Dr. Doug Wright, COO, also presented throughout the day. SEKMHC employees enjoyed the opportunity to meet up with familiar coworkers, greet newly-hired employees, and celebrate milestone work anniversaries and career-related achievements. More events like this are planned for 2023! 7 SEKMHC Year in Review

SEKMHC employees showed their spirit with nearly 350 entries during our first-ever Spirit Week. We kicked it off on World Mental Health Day on October 10th. Each day’s theme had a mental health awareness message: • Tie Dye Day - Showcasing Wide Range of Emotions • Beach Day - Relaxing and Engaging in Self-Care • Wild Sock Day - Reaching Out of Your Comfort Zone • Throwback Day - Supporting Recovery Over Time • Favorite Teams Day - Working Together With each photo, employees earned entries for drawings for gift cards to favorite retailers. Some offices really got into the spirit with group themes and even uploaded videos for their entries! Positive feedback from our employees ensures this event will be a fun part of 2023! Find all of our spirit photos on our YouTube channel! @SEKMHC Spirit Week 2022! SEKMHC Year in Review 8

Southeast Kansas Achievers (SEKA) From 2015 to 2022, our Southeast Kansas Achievers Program (SEKA) nearly doubled in enrollment, from serving 304 clients to nearly 700 across our region. SEKA meets in Fort Scott, Uniontown, Garnett, Pleasanton, Iola, Chanute, Yates Center, and Erie. While SEKA is officially a psychosocial rehabilitation group, therapists fondly refer to the program as a “school for big emotions.” Manager of SEKA Children’s Services Ashley Adamson explained the program by saying, “It’s just like another subject in school. We work on goals that are set by the therapist through their referral. SEKA clients come to our program from all age groups, elementary to high school, and they all need just a little extra support.” The curriculum for the program is determined by state guidelines and uses an evidence-based approach for lesson plans and activities. Each day, SEKA clients complete a curriculum-based lesson and a craft to go with it, pictured at left. 9 SEKMHC Year in Review

Prevention and Outreach Adding a Prevention and Promotion Team to the various departments at SEKMHC has provided nearly 150 opportunities for advocacy efforts in our six-county catchment area. While this may not be a comprehensive list of all outreach and organizations we are engaged with, it’s representative of the ways SEKMHC is becoming increasingly involved in our communities. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EVENTS COUNTY COALITIONS COMMUNITY PARADES CAREER FAIRS SPEAKING ENGAGMENTS RESOURCE FAIRS SENIOR ACTIVITIES VETERAN OUTREACH WELLNESS FAIRS Pittsburg State University Wichita State University Neosho County Community College Fort Scott Community College Allen Community College Fort Scott High School Chanute High School Kiwanis Churches COMMUNITY K-State Research and Extension CAREER FAIRS Iola Chamber Chanute KANSASWORKS Fort Scott Chamber In September, the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation awarded SEKMHC with a grant to present a series of presentations about coping and resiliency to 3rd- through 5th-grade students at Eugene Ware Elementary School in Fort Scott. Pictured Left to Right: Kerry Pommier, Janderon Loyd, Vicki Wright, Craig Campbell, FSACF Board Chair Contact us for more ways SEKMHC can engage with your business, group, or organization. SEKMHC Year in Review 10

Becoming a CCBHC enables us to be a voice of mental health advocacy in Southeast Kansas and beyond. A significant part of our prevention efforts includes offering Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) classes and Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) courses to businesses and organizations in our communities. Mental Health First Aid is a national program to teach the skills to respond to the signs of mental illness and substance use. Educating the Community We have added four new instructors this year for this skills-based program, for a total of nine instructors at SEKMHC. Having conducted four classes just since August, we are booking numerous classes in 2023 and look forward to expanding our potential to spread awareness about how to help others who are experiencing mental health challenges. Contact us for more information about scheduling your MHFA training. Shelly Kelley, Public Relations/Prevention, Training & Outreach Shelly Kelley, Public Relations/Prevention, Training & Outreach and Morgan Lea, PR and Prevention Specialist with NCCC Nursing Students Dawne Burchett PR and Prevention Specialist Lead 11 SEKMHC Year in Review

Most everyone is familiar with the concept of administering CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) to someone in a medical crisis. QPR is very similar and is a mental health intervention for suicidal persons. Both CPR and QPR are intended to interrupt the current chain of events and increase the chances of survival. QPR stands for Question, Persuade, Refer – which are three simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Every year, thousands of Americans are getting the tools to save the life of a friend, colleague, sibling, or neighbor by taking a one-hour-long QPR course administered by an instructor. SEKMHC is proud to offer QPR courses and has five certified instructors prepared to administer courses to businesses, groups, and organizations. Shelly Kelley led a training in partnership with K-State Research and Extension LaCygne Public Library Stress and Relaxation Seminar Contact us for more information about scheduling your QPR training. 988 National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline DESIGNATED JULY 2022 SEKMHC Year in Review 12

SEKMHC strives to create a work culture that values its employees. Beyond just a generous benefits package, competitive pay, and a strong work/life balance, employees regularly share that working for SEKMHC is rewarding and enjoyable. Learn more about internships and employment opportunities at sekmhc.org/jobs Employees say it best Taelyn Mathews, LMSW School-based Outpatient Therapist “Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center is an amazing company to work for! They let you know how appreciated you are, and you know that the leadership is there to provide whatever support you might need to better take care of yourself or provide the best services for our clients.” Mary Ann Cochran Fort Scott Office Manager “I like my job because I enjoy helping others. I have worked here for nearly 14 years and am so appreciative of the teamwork of everyone here. I was once told that “alone we can do so little, but together we can do so much.” And, there is so much truth in that.” Kathy Secrest Accounts Payable Specialist "I love being a part of something that makes a difference in people’s lives. It is a pleasure to work with so many kind and caring people. I also enjoy being able to work remotely and having flexible work hours." Debora J. Higginbotham, LMSW, LMAC Outpatient Therapist “I enjoy working at Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center for many reasons, but two of the most important factors are my coworkers and the support we offer each other. As a therapist, I am excited when those I work with have that moment of clarity and self-determination.” 13 SEKMHC Year in Review

SEKMHC by the Numbers Expanding Community Access to Care In 2022, we served over 4000 clients School-based therapy & case management in 12 School Districts 15 team members in our crisis department Team of 10in our psychiatry department 2 13 8 7 10 4 1 5 3 2 5 New Med Providers New Children’s Case Managers New Patient Navigators New Parent Support Full-time New Full-Time Attendant Care Workers New Crisis Attendant Care Workers New Adult Case Managers New Therapists Walk-In Clinics Peer Support New Prevention & Promotion Staff SEKMHC Year in Review 14 40licensed therapists

“We value the experience of each person we serve and commit to excellence as we advocate for mental health care in our communities. This past year has been exciting for our team as we became a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). Looking forward to 2023, we are optimistic about ways our new model of care will benefit Southeast Kansas.” - Nathan Fawson, CEO @Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center @SEKMHC @SEKMHC @SEKMHC @SEKMHC @SEKMHC (866) 973-2241 sekmhc.org