Lawrence Journal-World 062414

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TUESDAY • JUNE 24 • 2014

Concern, hope surround mental health funding By Scott Rothschild Twitter: @ljwrothschild

Kansas’ system of addressing mental health issues continues to deal with funding problems and the state’s decision not to expand Medicaid, mental health advocates say. But they also say there are bright spots on the horizon. “We are taking some small steps forward,” said David Wiebe, presi-

dent of the Kansas Mental Health Coalition. “But like so many things in the public arena, it boils down to funding, and clearly there is not enough money to meet the needs,” Wiebe said. The 27 Community Mental Health Centers treat about 120,000 people each year.

But most of those people, 85,000, have neither Medicaid nor other health insurance. For years, under mental health reform, state funding was provided for low-income Kansans who didn’t qualify for Medicaid. But during the Great Recession, the grant funding to the community mental health centers was cut by 65 percent, or $20 million since 2008.

MENTAL HEALTH FOCUS As Gov. Sam Brownback calls for a $9.5 million investment in mental health care in Kansas, we take a look at the people behind the policies — a handful of Kansans who are among the nearly 60 million Americans living with mental illness. Page 1B

Please see MENTAL, page 1B

Lilies loving this weather

Conference center plan underway downtown ———

Development would include hotel, shops, apartments and plaza By Chad Lawhorn Twitter: @clawhorn_ljw

Richard Gwin/Journal-World Photos

AREA GARDENERS like Lawrence resident Larry Moore, who lives in University Place, are admiring the proliferation of lilies around town. Although they are coming up a couple of weeks later than usual, lilies are thriving in the humid conditions, according to Jess Danner, a master gardener with the Shawnee County Extension Office.

Plans are in the works to convert one of downtown Lawrence’s larger pieces of property into a conference center surrounded by a hotel, apartments, retail development and an open-air plaza. Leaders of The World Company announced Monday they are in the process of selecting a development firm to assist in redeveloping the former site of the JournalWorld’s printing plant at 609 New Hampshire St. “Rather than sell to a developer and wash our hands of the property, we feel this is an opportunity to make a significant, positive impact on the future of Lawrence,” said Dolph C. Simons Jr., chairman of The World Company, which publishes the JournalPlease see CENTER, page 2A

Town Talk City being asked to repeal ban on concealed knives W

Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com

ell, this is awkward. No one has shown up for the revolution. If you remember a few weeks ago, Lawrence city commissioners were told that a pair of local laws prohibiting the concealed carrying of knives would no longer be valid because a new state law has been passed that

Business Classified Comics Deaths

Low: 65

Today’s forecast, page 10A

more, and they also said leaving the laws on the books may be a good way to protest the actions of the state Legislature. They suggested the protest would be even more powerful if other cities joined in the action and left their laws on the books too. Well, it looks like we’re the only people still listening to

INSIDE

Partly sunny

High: 86

specifically allows people to carry concealed knives. The city’s legal staff had recommended the city remove the local laws from the books, since they no longer would be enforceable. But city commissioners balked at that idea. They asked for staff to research the issue

2A 5C-10C 9A 2A

Events listings Health Horoscope Opinion

5A, 2C Puzzles 1B-5B Sports 10C Television 8A

10C 1C-4C 10A, 2C

Bob Dylan these days. We’re the only ones who know how to stick it to the man. On second thought, scratch that one. We are talking about knives after all. Regardless, you get the point. Geez, that’s not any better.

Registration woes

Please see KNIVES, page 2A

Vol.156/No.175 26 pages

People who try to register to vote for the first time using the state’s online system may be told initially that their registrations are incomplete. Page 3A

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