Grand Rapids [has] a model that Wichita and Sedgwick County might seek to learn from as they work to create a more coordinated approach to addressing mental health, substance abuse and homelessness. Such an approach requires collaboration across a swath of government agencies and nonprofits. Grand Rapids appears to be creating a more seamless system even though it lacks a more centralized single location for social services that cities such as San Antonio have become widely regarded for. Officials in Wichita and Sedgwick County have been considering building a similar hub here. For the past five years, leaders in metro Grand Rapids have been brainstorming about how to improve services for individuals experiencing a mental-health crisis. Those talks – involving local hospitals, nonprofits that provide behavioral health services, law enforcement, city and county officials and even insurers – have led to new initiatives and expansions of existing programs.
Source: KLC Journal
