KSHB 41 reporter Alyssa Jackson covers portions of Johnson County, including Overland Park, Prairie Village and Leawood. Share your story idea with Alyssa.
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Mental health problems are being addressed in many ways throughout Johnson County, from law enforcement to the district attorney's office.
However, the need for intervention is greater than ever.
Involuntary mental health commitment cases, or civil commitments, have exploded in the past five to 10 years, according to Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe.
That means a person is forced to follow mental health treatment at a state facility because they're considered a danger to themselves or others.
"A large number of our serious crimes, including homicides, are a result of individuals suffering serious mental health issues," Howe said. "It's a public safety issue."
Kansas has two state hospitals, one in Larned and the other in Osawatomie. Another hospital is being built in Wichita.
While some critics argue involuntary commitments take away a person's rights, Howe disagrees, calling the state's law 'a good system.'
"It's a delicate balance with people’s individual privacy rights and freedoms versus a need to help those who don’t understand they have a problem," Howe said. "That’s why there’s a court process…unlike hundreds of years ago, you could just take a family member to a state hospital and commit them."
It's not a quick process for a patient to be committed in Kansas.
Howe said: "A family member could call the police department or Johnson County Mental Health and indicate they need assistance. It could be that an individual is out on the street and their behavior gets the attention of law enforcement."
There must be a petitioner. For example, a family member who believes their loved one or an individual is suffering from a serious mental health situation and needs help. The petitioner can also be the Johnson County Mental Health Department.
The individual is evaluated by a doctor to determine if they're a danger to themselves or others.
Evidence must then be presented to a judge to prove a person's condition before they're committed to an inpatient or outpatient mental health facility.
Letitia Ferwalt oversees the care and treatment team in the Johnson County District Attorney's Office. The team files involuntary commitment cases in civil court.
"We're not necessarily their adversary in the courtroom setting, but everyone is there to help them," she said.
Over the past 10 years, the district attorney's office says cases jumped from 145 commitment proceedings to 623 — a 329% increase.
Howe said the state has a critical need for more beds, but that's slowed by a lack of resources.
Treatment Advocacy Center, a nonprofit research organization, reports it takes 50 beds per 100,000 people to help treat mental illness.
In 2023, the center said Kansas had 10 beds per 100,000 patients.
Across the state line, the Treatment Advocacy Center reported Missouri doesn't have any beds specifically for civil commitments.
Kansas City is getting a new psychiatric hospital with 100 beds located next to The Center for Behavioral Health. Construction should be completed in 2027.
"We can't normalize everybody, can't save everybody, some are so critically mentally ill," Howe said. "We have got to have resources and locations to place them for their protection and the protection of the community."
His team echoed the need for quick intervention with solutions before a civil case turns criminal.
"I think that has helped family members and individuals suffering themselves feel more comfortable calling law enforcement for assistance, knowing hospitalization route is possible instead of just jail," said Abby Olson, an assistant Johnson County district attorney.
Beyond involuntary commitment, Johnson County offers several programs addressing mental health, including crisis intervention training and mental health first aid for law enforcement and the behavioral health court.
According to Howe, Johnson County was one of the first in the country to place co-responders, or mental health workers, in the police departments.
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