Originally known as the Riley County Mental Health Center, Pawnee Mental Health was founded in 1956 to respond to the mental health needs of the communities in Riley County. The very next year, the Kansas Legislature authorized counties to levy a tax to support community mental health centers. Over time, 9 more counties in North Central Kansas joined and eventually in 1982 the Board of Directors changed its name to Pawnee Mental Health services. In 2019, Pawnee opened a Crisis Stabilization Unit in Manhattan. The CSU provides 24/7 crisis and substance use intervention for adults, as well as screening and referrals for minors. Along with the CSU, a crisis hotline was established to serve all 10 counties in Pawnee’s service area.
Currently, Pawnee provides services ranging from Crisis Intervention to Adult and Youth Rehabilitation Services, Medication Management, Therapy and Recovery Services, and Respite. Our dedicated and professional staff works one-on-one with each client to establish a care routine that fits their needs. In 2020, Pawnee served over 6,000 individuals throughout our 10-county service area, which includes Jewell, Mitchell, Republic, Cloud, Washington, Clay, Marshall, Riley, Geary, and Pottawattamie Counties. We are only mental health agency in our 10-county service area who welcomes anyone in need of mental health services, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year regardless of their insurance, status as a client or ability to pay. We are also the only provider of person-centered care in the home and community for children with Serious Emotional Disturbances (SED) and adults with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI). As Pawnee celebrates it’s 65th anniversary this November, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone in our communities that has supported the growth and development of our services over the years. As a nonprofit, community mental health center, community support makes all the difference in the quality and variety of care we provide our clients. We are looking forward to serving you for another 65 years
To learn more about Pawnee Mental Health, visit pawnee.org.