The federal government is going on four weeks of being shut down. Beyond the 30,000 federal workers around Kansas City who are working without pay, the shutdown also has trickle-down consequences for local mental health departments.
The Johnson County Mental Health Center provides counseling, substance use treatment, psychiatric medication and other services. It also runs a 988 suicide hotline, and is anticipating a 14% rise in calls to that number and its local crisis line by the end of the year. KCUR's Nomin Ujiyediiin spoke with center Director Tim DeWeese, who says the federal shutdown is stressing out the center’s clientele and staff, and putting a strain on resources.
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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Jacob Smollen, and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Madeline Fox.
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