State hospital for South Wichita on track for phased opening in 2027; forensic beds prioritized

Scott Bruner, deputy secretary for hospitals and facilities at KDADS, told the committee the South Central Regional Mental Health Hospital under construction in south Wichita is a 104‑bed state facility with half the beds (52) reserved for forensic competency restoration and half for civilly committed acute psychiatric care. "We're scheduled to be complete with construction in January 2027," Bruner said, and described interior commissioning milestones (chillers, HVAC, boilers) and the award of the hospital's national provider identifier (NPI), which clears major billing and certification steps.

Bruner said the project was developed in partnership with Sedgwick County, which led construction under an MOA and contributed $25 million in ARPA funding while the state provided ongoing general fund payments for professional services. He described a phased staffing and opening plan: initial forensic unit beds brought online in January 2027, phased additions through February and March, and a targeted full operational date of July 1, 2027. KDADS has posted senior leadership and core operational hires and is procuring a recruiting vendor to expedite hiring for the larger nursing and direct‑care recruitment waves.

Committee members asked about full staffing and whether the current appropriation covers the phased opening; Bruner said the approved appropriation should support the phased plan but that KDADS will request a fiscal 2028 enhancement for full 12‑month operation. He emphasized prioritizing forensic beds to address competency backlogs and noted the hospital will reduce statewide wait lists for competency evaluations.