NEWS & NOTES

David Johnson, CEO at the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center in Lawrence, remembers the first time Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins toured the Center and heard stories about people whose lives had been changed because of the services they received. Rep. Lynn Jenkins was presented with a National Council Behavioral Health Champion Award on Dec. 14. The 2nd District congresswoman has been instrumental in the introduction and championing of the Mental Health First Aid Act and se

The Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center and the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority have received an award of $75,000 from the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation for continuation of the Community Support Services HOME Tenant Based Rental Assistance program. The Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority will administer the funds. The Community Support Services HOME Tenant Based Rental Assistance program – a collaboration between the Bert Nash Center, the Lawrence-

When Bill Welch interviewed for a job at the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, he discovered a problem. He had applied for the wrong job. But, as fate would have it, it turned out to be exactly the right job. “I came in and interviewed and after five or 10 minutes I realized this was not a peer mentoring job,” Welch said. “There is a big difference between being a peer mentor and a peer support specialist. I didn’t know that until I was in the interview.” Welch had pr

Eunice Ruttinger, Adult Services Director at Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, who will retire September 4th, is excited about the next chapter in her life. But she has mixed emotions about leaving the place she has called her work home for the past 11 years. “I love Bert Nash. I love what I do here. I love what we stand for,” Ruttinger said. “But at the same time, I’m looking forward to doing some new things.” One of those things she will be doing is teaching Mental

When it comes to affordable housing, it definitely takes a village. The Lawrence-Douglas CountyHousing Authority knows that betterthan most. “We’re all in this together,” said Shannon Oury, housing authority executive director. The city of Lawrence is among those partnering with the housing authority to reduce homelessness in the community. On August 4th, commissioners approved $100,000 in the 2016 budget for the housing authority’s voucher-based transitional housing program.