photo by: Contributed

CEO of the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center Kirsten Watkins.

Interim CEO of the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center Kirsten Watkins has been appointed to the permanent role, according to a release from the organization on Tuesday.

Watkins has been serving as the interim CEO for the past eight months while continuing her role as clinical director. She has guided the organization during a period of transition after former CEO Patrick Schmitz resigned from the role in June 2025, as the Journal-World reported.

“I’m deeply honored to serve in this role and to be a part of this agency’s important work in our community,” Watkins said in the release. “I’m excited to move forward in this next chapter for Bert Nash.”

The release said that her leadership comes at a critical time, as communities across Kansas and the nation continue to face increasing demand for behavioral health services. With Watkins’ guidance, the organization has improved financial stability, strengthening core services, ensuring sustainable systems of care, and advancing key initiatives such as the Judge Jean Shepherd Youth Recovery Center, Bert Nash leaders said.

“We are extremely excited to be able to plan for the long-term future of Bert Nash with Dr. Watkins as CEO. In her eight months as interim CEO she demonstrated the ability to lead with determination and strength despite any outside obstacles that were thrown in her way,” Matthew Herbert, chair of the Bert Nash Board of Directors, said in the release. “As a board we feel very confident that we have found the right person for the job.”

Since Bert Nash was founded in 1950, the organization has been led by just three CEOs over its 75-year history. Watkins now becomes the organization’s fourth CEO. With Watkins now the organization’s new CEO, Bert Nash will be seeking someone to fill the clinical director role, the release said.

“Although many things are uncertain around us, I’ve never felt uncertain about Bert Nash – our role in this community or our potential to be the best place to seek behavioral health care,” Watkins said in the release. “Our agency is focused and united on what matters most.”

As the Journal-World reported, Bert Nash has been experiencing ongoing financial challenges. Bert Nash came to commissioners in December 2025 with a $1 million funding request to support the new Treatment & Recovery Center’s ongoing costs, including staffing, program operations and financial shortfalls from lower-than-expected revenue from Medicaid and other funding sources.

During the county commissioners’ budget deliberations for 2026, Bert Nash submitted a funding request of $1.6 million for the TRC based on a projected revenue gap of $986,600. While the original request was denied due to financial uncertainties at Bert Nash over the past year, commissioners reserved $1 million for crisis system contingency funding in 2026. The $1 million is not specific to Bert Nash or any other organization.

County staff recommended to commissioners to delay action on awarding any additional funding until an external operational and financial review of the TRC was completed and staff could consider implementation of the findings and recommendations of that report with Bert Nash staff. Once phase one of the project is complete, Bert Nash can approach the County Commission for consideration of additional 2026 operating funds for the TRC.