City Commission approves grant funding for High Plains Mental Health Center

By ALICIA FEYERHERM

Tiger Media Network

The City Commission approved $45,481 in grant funding for High Plains Mental Health Center (HPMHC) during Thursday’s City Commission meeting.

HPMHC will use these funds to purchase seven sobering/detoxification chairs and seven large-volume infusion pumps for the new crisis intervention center. 

The center is set to open toward the end of this year and would be the closest center of its kind for 28 western Kansas counties. 

“This funding would go a long way to have the specialist chairs that provide that medical sobering and detox,” HPMHC CEO Craig Poe said. 

These grant funds originate from the National Opioids Settlement and are distributed by the State to municipalities. Hays Chief of Police Don Scheibler said the funds are not dispersed on a regular schedule and come from several different companies. 

“It comes in chunks, too and there’s no rhyme or reason to it,” City Manager Toby Dougherty said. 

This year $56,893 of Opioid Settlement funds were included in the budget. The Attorney General’s Office estimates Hays will receive approximately $230,000 over the next 14 years and Dougherty said the funds should begin arriving on a more regular basis. 

“This is not taxpayer dollars,” Scheibler said. “This is the result of a legal settlement and this is exactly what these funds are intended for.”

The Commissioners recognized the importance of HPMHC and the crisis intervention center. 

“Hays is becoming the spot for our neighbors in northwest Kansas to receive services,” Mayor Sandy Jacobs said. 

The grant funding request was approved 5-0.

The Commission also approved a resolution establishing a benefit district, as well as approved an engineering services agreement for the Covenant Estates first addition.

The benefit district would impose a special assessment for lots on that property that property owners would pay for up to 20 years. Of the estimated  $2.9 million in construction costs, 70% would be paid by the property owners, with the other 30% paid by the developer. Other housing developments in Hays have used this model. 

The next City Commission meeting will be at 4:00 p.m. on August 28 at City Hall.