Sedgwick County commissioners approve Comcare-GraceMed clinic remodeling

Sedgwick County commissioners unanimously approved spending $170,900 on a remodeling project that will allow GraceMed to offer services at the same location as Comcare, the county’s mental health agency.

The amendment to the county’s capital improvement program will allow GraceMed to have six exam rooms to see patients at Comcare’s outpatient clinic at 1919 N. Amidon.

Comcare and GraceMed are teaming up to try to help people better manage their mental and physical health.

Comcare executive director Marilyn Cook told The Eagle earlier this week that people with mental illnesses die 25 years earlier from chronic medical conditions that are preventable and treatable than people who do not suffer from mental illnesses.

GraceMed will start out with one advanced nurse practioner, Cook said. GraceMed will pay for its own staff and bill for medical services provided at the location. Comcare psychiatric medical service providers – staff who can prescribe medicine – will be available to consult and collaborate with GraceMed on shared patients. GraceMed plans to eventually have two advanced nurse practioners.

The GraceMed clinic is expected to open early next year. GraceMed has eight clinics, five of which are located at schools.

Commissioners voted 4 to 0 on the project with Tim Norton absent.

This story was originally published October 1, 2014 at 10:01 AM with the headline "Sedgwick County commissioners approve Comcare-GraceMed clinic remodeling."