Lawrence Journal-World opinion section

The recent resignation of Larned State Hospital’s superintendent is yet another indication of ongoing problems at the state’s only two hospitals for people with serious mental illness.

Like the superintendent before him, Tom Kinlen, who led Larned for about four years, faced severe staff shortages that can compromise both services and safety at the facility. Similar shortages have been reported at Osawatomie State Hospital and contributed to problems that resulted in the hospital losing its Medicare support.

Revisions to next year’s budget plan include an additional $2 million for Osawatomie and $1 million for Larned, but that funding may not survive additional cuts that will be necessary as a result of continuing revenue shortfalls. Even if the hospitals receive that funding it may not be enough to provide the better salaries and working conditions that are needed to attract qualified staff members. According to recent news reports, staff at both hospitals are being forced to work as much as 40 hours per week of overtime — a situation that impacts not only their private lives but the efficient and safe operation of the hospitals.

Officials in the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services have announced steps to address the staffing shortages at Larned. The department is providing additional training for staff members and has formed an employee committee to address employee and patient concerns.

An internal memo obtained by a Topeka newspaper after Kinlen’s resignation indicates KDADS also is looking at extending day care services for employees and is working to maintain a positive work environment at Larned. “The three most important things,” the memo said, “are respect, kindness and compassion.”

Those are good goals, but improved pay and work benefits probably also are high on the list for current and potential employees.

A few months ago, after Osawatomie lost its Medicare accreditation, some state legislators speculated that the Brownback administration might be intentionally allowing the state’s mental hospitals to decline as a prelude to privatizing those facilities. The Legislature passed a bill this session that barred privatization without its approval, but now is considering legislation that would allow some hospital responsibilities, such as staffing, to be contracted out — a move that critics say is a back-door step toward privatization.

It’s sad to think that state officials would allow conditions at these hospitals to deteriorate just to illustrate the state can’t adequately provide these services and ought to turn them over to a private contractor. The state shouldn’t shirk its responsibility to the families and patients who depend on services offered by these two hospitals. It needs to get a handle on the hospitals’ ongoing issues and make the necessary investment in both staff and facilities to solve those problems and get the hospitals back on track.