Pawnee Mental Health Enhancing Services with Experienced Staff

As of July 1, 2023, Pawnee Mental Health began operating as a provisionally Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). CCBHCs are designed to provide whole-person care by integrating physical health with a comprehensive range of mental health and substance use disorder services to vulnerable individuals.

With the expansion of services, Pawnee is pleased to announce the hiring and advancements of the following individuals.

Jandi Berry manages the newly established Individual Placement and Support (IPS) program. IPS is an evidence-based practice to help individuals with severe mental illness find and maintain employment. Benefits of IPS for those with SPMI or addiction include increased income, improved self-esteem and social networks, increased quality of life, reduced hospitalization and substance use, and better control of symptoms. Berry has worked at Pawnee for almost seven years; during her career, she served as the Adult Case Manager and Team Lead for Adult Community Services. She has a degree from K-State in Family Studies and Human Services.

Susan Jording, LCPC, LMAC, was promoted to lead the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) program. The ACT program is a person-centered, recovery-based approach to those with severe and persistent mental illness. The program offers a unique treatment to help clients increase their independence and return to the community. Over the past six years working at Pawnee, Jording has served clients ranging from 3 years old to upper 70s through therapy services as a Therapy and Recovery Therapist. Before Pawnee, she worked as an addiction counselor in Norton, KS.  

Alex Richards, Client Benefits Manager, supervises the Benefits Specialists and the Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) Waiver Program. The Benefits Specialist Team assists clients and families with applying for state assistance programs such as Medicaid and disability. The SED Waiver Program serves youth clients at risk for hospitalization, affecting their ability to function at home, school, and in their community. Richards started as a Client Support Provider for Pawnee in 2016 and moved up to Case Manager, Waiver Facilitator, and Team Leader. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and extensive experience working with state Medicaid programs.

Theresa Lorenz is the Patient Navigator Manager. Patient Navigators focus on care coordination with Pawnee clients. Staff assist clients with resources they might not be aware of and assist in helping fill out the applications, take clients to appointments, etc. Patient Navigators work in tandem with the client’s team. Before joining Pawnee’s team in 2022, Lorenz worked as an Intake and Parent Support Worker for St. Francis Ministries. In this role, she met with families and worked with them throughout the intake process.

All these programs and services are available to clients in Pawnee’s 10-county service area.

“CCBHCs require staff with diverse disciplinary backgrounds, the necessary state-required license, and accreditation, and are culturally and linguistically trained to serve the needs of patients,” said Chief Executive Officer Robbin Cole. “In the realm of these new services, Pawnee Mental Health is fortunate to have these skilled and dedicated professionals serving our area.”

Pawnee Mental Health looks forward to undergoing review for full CCBHC certification in the spring of 2024.

Pictured from left to right: Jandi Berry, IPS Manager; Susan Jording, ACT Manager; Alex Richards, Client Benefits Manager; and Theresa Lorenz, Patient Navigator Manager.