WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – The Wichita City Council voted 7-0 to issue a letter of intent for $30 million in Industrial Revenue Bonds for the YMCA at Tuesday’s meeting.
The money would help improve the Northwest YMCA and South YMCA.
The Northwest YMCA would see an expansion and renovation of the fitness spaces, new turf fields and an expanded waterpark. The South YMCA would see an expansion of the Early Learning Center and renovations throughout the facility.
The YMCA says plans are still fluid.
The city council also voted 7-0 to approve an agreement with Sedgwick County to provide behavioral health care workers to be embedded within the Wichita Police Department. It follows a 2019 pilot study that partnered a behavioral health worker with a patrol officer and paramedic, enhancing mental health services to those in need.
The behavioral health workers, four Crisis Mobile Clinicians and four Integrated Care Specialists would be stationed in the WPD Central Bureau and dispatched as needed throughout the city. The program will operate in 10-hour shifts on a rotating schedule for weekend coverage.
The behavioral health workers would assist the WPD in emergency response to critical incidents involving emotional and behavioral crises and connect individuals to the case management infrastructure of COMCARE.
The program’s cost for the remainder of 2023 is estimated to be $471,790, including an initial vehicle and equipment allocation. The full-year cost of the program in 2024 is estimated at $854,133.