The embattled head of the Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center based in Iola was suspended from his position on Monday by the organization’s board of trustees, only days after testifying to a Kansas House Legislative Committee about operations and controversies surrounding his organization.
SEKMHC board member Mike Blaufuss told the Kansas Informer Nathan Fawson had been suspended for 90 days with pay, while the board determined “which direction” it would take in the future.
A copy of a memo to SEK staff from the board of trustees and obtained by the Informer gave staff notice of Fawson’s suspension, and told them Dr. Doug Wright, who currently serves as Chief Operating Officer, would serve as interim CEO. The letter, dated January 26, said the changes were effective immediately.
“The board is committed to ensuring that SEKMHC remains a stable and supportive environment for both our staff and the communities we serve,” the memo read. “Dr. Wright has been a vital part of this organization, and his clinical expertise and familiarity with our operations make him the ideal leader to guide us through this transition.”
Fawson testified before the Kansas House Health and Human Services Committee January 22, telling legislators cost-based reimbursements for mental health services through Medicaid brought about by a certification change allowed the agency to grow from just over a hundred staffers serving the 6-county area to more than 500 – predominantly funded by an expansion in Medicaid billing via that change in certification. SEK’s IRS 990 tax form shows about 120 employees in 2011, which Fawson said grew exponentially as the center was able to offer higher salaries to providers and other staff as it expanded into a Certified Community Based Mental Health Center operational model offering additional services.
This story is also available on the Kansas Informer’s website.
