About the BNC

The Bert Nash Center (BNC) is the designated community mental health center & the certified community behavioral health clinic (CCBHC) for Douglas County, KS.

What We Do

As a certified community behavioral health clinic, we focus on the whole-person care, providing access to behavioral health services, as well as integrated care that emphasizes recovery, wellness, trauma-informed care, and physical-behavioral health integration.

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The Bert Nash Center (BNC) provides a comprehensive range of mental health and substance use disorders services that address the diverse needs of children, families, and adults. BNC offers crisis care, education, consultation and outreach services promoting wellness, addressing health disparities, and early identification of behavioral health concerns warranting professional help. The team at the BNC includes highly trained professionals dedicated to providing person-and family-centered planning that includes, prevention, community inclusion and support.

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Tour the BNC

View Outcomes

View our 2022-25 Strategic Plan

Our History

BNC was founded in 1950 in honor of Dr. Bert Nash, an educational psychologist at the University of Kansas and respected community leader. Today, the Center is a licensed, comprehensive behavioral health facility committed to providing research-based services to improve the lives of Douglas County residents. It serves as a safety-net provider and essential health care service for children, families, and adults regardless of their ability to pay.

A black and white photograph of Bert Nash.

Leadership Teams

Our Executive Team guides the Center's strategic direction, making business-impacting decisions, and overseeing operations with a focus on strategy.

Patrick Schmitz

Chief Executive Officer

Emily Farley

Chief Advancement Officer

A smiling white man in a shirt and black blazer.

Ryan Sztorch

Sr. Director of Crisis Services

Dr. Kirsten Watkins

Clinical Director

A smiling Black woman in a striped sweater.

Dr. Nana Dadson

Chief Medical Officer

Amy Finkeldei

Sr. Director of Operations

Mike Meigs

Sr. Director of Administration & Finance

Carrie Combs

Director of Executive Administration

A smiling white man in a shirt and blue blazer.

Stephen O'Neill

Chief Operations & Strategy Officer

A smiling white woman in a burgundy sweater.

Marsha Page-White

Sr. Director of Community Based Services

A smiling Latinx woman in a green shirt and black blazer.

Amalia Mendez

Sr. Director of Human Resources

Our Leadership Team includes the Executive Team, the Senior Leadership Team and Managers and Supervisors. This team fosters open and direct communication across all levels of leadership bridging the gap between strategic vision and operational execution.

Lauren Alexander

Care Navigator

Team Lead

Jenny Brewer

Adult Outpatient Therapy Program Manager

Brad Cook

Community Support Services Program Manager

Bridget Dixon

Youth Community Based Services Program Manager

Kay Gates

Administrative & Logistics Manager

Treatment & Recovery Center

Justin Gudenkauf

Community Supportive

Housing Manager

Blaire Hines

Mobile Response Team Program Manager

Grace MacMillan

WRAP

Program Manager

Jessica Miller

SOAR

Program Manager

Austin Rossetti

Client Services

Manager

Rhonda Stubbs

Behavioral Health Specialist Program Manager

Molly Walter

IOP & DBT

Program Manager

Anita Anderson

Office Support

Manager

Lea Bruce

Privacy Officer

Health Information Manager

Shania Currier

Housing

Program Manager

Ann Elifrits

Homeless Outreach

Program Manager

Julia Gaughan

Prevention & Education Manager

Leah Hansen

Payroll Administrator

Supervisor

Jeff Jeanotte

Peer Support Manager

Treatment & Recovery Center

Kelly Martin

Permanent Supportive Housing Supervisor

Selia Moya

Mobile Response Team

Program Manager

Auw Sheen

Youth Community Based Services Program Manager

Eddie Velez

Residential

Program Manager

Sharon Zehr

BHC & AOT

Program Manager

Michele Bointy

WRAP Program

Manager

Jeff Burkhead

Communications

Manager

Lisa Cyrus

Peer Support

Program Manager

Lexie Fager

Finance

Manager

Sara Godinez

SEED & IDDT

Program Manager

Tamara Heishman

Children & Family Services Program Manager

Gabe Locke

Facilities

Manager

Misty Meier

Medical Billing

Manager

Dan Parker

Admissions

Program Manager

Elsey Sipp

Behavioral Health Specialist Supervisor

Robyn Wagner

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Belonging Manager

Our Senior Leadership Team includes our Executive Team and Directors. This team operationalizes the Center's strategic direction through leading and managing our teams to achieve institutional goals effectively and efficiently.

Jesse Belt

Director of Nursing

Treatment & Recovery Center

Elda Dykes

Director of Revenue Cycle

Sarah Hoadley

Director of Development

Stephanie Shelley

Director of Finance

Annas Boyer

Director of Youth Community Services

Mathew Faulk

Director of Housing

Dr. Cord Huston

Medical Director of

Crisis Services

Kristin Vernon

Director of the Youth

Recovery Center

Ashley Countryman

Director of Adult Community Services

Bri Harmon-Moore

Director of the Treatment & Recovery Center

A smiling white woman in a pink sweater.

Jenn Preston

Director of Quality Improvement

Travis White

Director of Information Technology

Boards & Committees

The Governing Board ensures that proper professional standards are upheld. The Board directs the Chief Executive Officer in carrying out Center policies and authorizes and approves contracts and agreements. The Board provides adequate financing and control of expenditures, and reviews and approves the annual budget. All upcoming board meetings are listed under the events page.

For questions regarding the Board, please email Carrie Combs, Senior Executive Assistant, ccombs@bertnash.org.

Jay Armbrister

Kristina Edwards

Kirsten Kuhn

Clay Britton

Ehren Feldmeyer

Kristin Magette

Katherine Couvillon

Christina Haswood

Tina Rosenthal

Josh Davis

Matthew Herbert - Chair

Patrick Schmitz

Not pictured: Barbara Ballard

Patrick Schmitz
Shannon Oury
Gloria Roach
Bootsie Lauridsen
Bill Neuenswander
Wendy Conover

Building Independence, Inc. is a Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center housing program in Baldwin City. This program provides affordable, permanent housing options to Baldwin City residents with qualifying mental health needs, and it is funded through a Federal Housing & Urban Development (HUD) grant. The Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority (LDCHA) manages the property, which consists of two duplexes (four total units), and clinicians from the Bert Nash Center provide services to the tenants. The Building Independence Board meets once annually, and membership to the Board is approved by the Bert Nash Governing Board of Directors.

The Endowment Board of Trustees was created in 1992 as a separate entity from the Governing Board in order to serve as the fundraising and fund-management arm for the Endowment Fund. The goal is to provide an opportunity for individuals to demonstrate advocacy and financial support to ensure that Bert Nash fulfills its mission to respond to Douglas County’s evolving needs and changing environment.