A staff member from Central Kansas Mental Health Center has been honored woth a statewide award.

According to the organization, the Kansas Community Mental Health Centers’ Organization of Medical Directors and Psychiatric Staff (KCOMPS) has selected Integrated Care Director Jamie Lathan for the 2020 V.J. Reddy Memorial Award.

This statewide honor is awarded annually to a Kansas medical professional serving in the community mental health system who has made outstanding contributions in the field of mental healthcare and who exemplifies a commitment to compassionate care, life-long learning and professional development.

Jamie Lathan, Integrated Care Director, joined Central Kansas Mental Health Center six years ago with a passion for integrating mental health, physical health and addiction treatment. With the help of our Quality Improvement Director, Renee Hewitt-Soden, she implemented new best practices and Lean Six Sigma efficiencies that modernized Psychiatric and Medication Management services, improving patient access, quality, and outcomes. Patient satisfaction improved to 97%.

CKMHC now has an on-site Quest Collection site so patients can get their blood work drawn right at the time of service, getting quicker results leading to quicker patient recovery. Lab work is also offered at minimal or no cost to 7,000 Salina area residents who can now utilize their Quest Lab Benefit.

Jamie implemented a Tobacco Cessation Program for patients and staff. She and her staff offer community presentations and education highlighting the medical breakthroughs that can increase success for those who want to stop smoking.

She formed partnerships that established CKMHC as a mental health and integrated care training site for med students and 3 nursing programs. This helps ensure that future health professionals have the expertise needed to effectively address behavioral health issues.

Jamie’s most recent challenge has been leading the agency’s COVID-19 Response and Mitigation efforts. As a 24/7 healthcare provider, CKMHC services have adapted to CDC safety guidelines and remained open. During the stay-at-home order, access to services continued to be met via the use of telehealth in which CKMHC professionals reached out to patients and community by offering services right in their home via telehealth. Technology was provided to patients in which connectivity was an issue.

To make sure that patients could still get needed injections when they were COVID-19 positive, Jamie and her staff set up a curbside tent which mitigated the exposure risk to other patients and staff, but ensured access to care for positive patients.

Jamie may be humble and soft-spoken, but she is truly a HealthCare Hero.