Pawnee Mental Health will receive a $579,186 grant to expand telehealth in Clay, Cloud, Jewell, Marshall, Mitchell, Pottawatomie, Republic and Washington counties. This project will enhance existing telehealth technology infrastructure and create new partnerships with rural hospitals, jails and the Pottawatomie Health Department, in order to improve access to mental health care for 70,000 residents.

The grant was funded through USDA’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) program. This program funds distance learning and telemedicine services in rural areas to increase access to education, training and health care resources that are otherwise limited or unavailable. Since 2019 USDA DLT grants received by Pawnee total $1.9 million.

“This grant will permit Pawnee Mental Health to expand access to psychotherapy and psychiatric medication management via telehealth to residents of our eight rural counties,” said Robbin Cole, executive director of Pawnee Mental Health. “Upgrading our basic switches and routers to commercial-grade equipment will enable us to make the most of the broadband that serves these counties and help to ensure a smooth telehealth experience. We will also extend telehealth services including crisis screenings, therapy, medication management and access to substance use recovery services into the hospitals and jails in the eight counties. This will be achieved by providing hospitals and jails with an Ipad mounted on a rollable cart, which can be used to connect with Pawnee staff.”

Founded in 1956, Pawnee Mental Health Services is a private, not-for-profit community mental health center, one of 26 in the state. Pawnee provides a full range of mental health, substance use recovery and crisis services in Clay, Cloud, Geary, Jewell, Marshall, Mitchell, Republic, Riley, Pottawatomie and Washington counties. Pawnee employs approximately 250 staff who serve almost 7,000 adults, adolescents and children annually.