NAMI Kansas, the state organization of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, provided two awards for legislative excellence at its annual conference in Wichita on Oct. 17.
Rep. Kathy Wolfe Moore of the 36th House District in Kansas City, Kan., and Rep. Jim Ward of the 86th House District in Wichita were recognized for their leadership to support programs and policies benefiting individuals living with serious mental illness and their family members.
Moore, who serves on the Appropriations Committee as well as on the Health and Human Services Committee, was recognized for her work to protect the funding of the former Rainbow Mental Health Facility in Kansas City, Kan., which has been converted to provide crisis services in Wyandotte and Johnson counties under contract to RSI, Inc., a subsidiary of the Wyandot Center for Behavioral Healthcare.
“Rep. Moore understands the value of supporting our public mental health system and ensuring that critical crisis services are available to keep people out of the state hospital and out of jails,” said Rick Cagan, executive director of NAMI Kansas.
Ward is the ranking minority member of the Health and Human Services Committee and also has key appointments to joint oversight committees relating to corrections and juvenile justice as well as KanCare oversight. Cagan recognized Rep. Ward for his advocacy on behalf of Medicaid expansion in Kansas and for the critical role he is playing to ensure that KanCare is meeting its stated objectives of improving health care to Medicaid recipients while keeping costs down.
“We appreciate his leadership on these issues which will ensure greater access to care for individuals living with serious mental health conditions,” Cagan said.
NAMI is the largest national organization of mental health consumers and family members with a presence in 50 states, operating through a network of more than 1,000 local affiliates, including 16 local organizations in Kansas. Local NAMI groups provide programs of peer support, education, and advocacy for people living with mental illnesses and for their family members.