TOPEKA (AP) – A professor says two patients seen by a Kansas doctor showed signs of being so suicidal that they might have been committed before they were referred elsewhere for late-term abortions.
Dr. Ann Kristin Neuhaus is facing scrutiny over her referrals of young patients to the late Dr. George Tiller’s clinic in Wichita.
A State Board of Healing Arts disciplinary hearing was in its second day Tuesday. Attorneys for the board called Dr. Liza Gold, a clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown’s Medical Center, as an expert witness.
She repeatedly said that medical records from Neuhaus failed to show adequate mental health exams.
Gold testified that the records showed that Neuhaus saw two young patients who were potentially suicidal. But there’s no indication she referred them for immediate mental health care.
SRS Secretary Siedlecki announces hospital superintendent appointments
TOPEKA – Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Secretary Rob Siedlecki announced Monday the appointment of Dr. Christopher Burke as superintendent of Larned State Hospital and Steve Ashcraft as superintendent at Osawatomie State Hospital and Rainbow Mental Health Facility.
Dr. Christopher Burke holds a Ph.D. in Psychology with an emphasis in Clinical Psychology. Dr. Burke has been with Larned State Hospital since 2005 and has served as both a Human Service Counselor and Administrative Program Director for the Sexual Predator Treatment Program.
Along with this experience, Dr. Burke will draw from significant previous mental health experiences in both state and private facilities in Washington State, Connecticut, and New Mexico to guide LSH toward greater efficiency and improved patient care.
Secretary Siedlecki also announced the appointment of Steven Ashcraft as superintendent of Osawatomie State Hospital & Rainbow Mental Health Facility. Ashcraft has a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration from the University of Pittsburgh, PA, and undergraduate majors in Psychology, Business Administration, and Russian Language.
He has been with SRS since June 2011 as the Director of Hospitals Coordination, and has over 30 year’s management experience in various hospitals, ranging from a 750 bed teaching hospital, to small rural hospitals and HMOs. He has worked in several States in the Midwest and southeastern portions of the United States, and been in Kansas since 1985. He is a Kansas licensed Adult Care (Nursing) Home Administrator, and is certified in Assisted Living.
“I’m proud to have such highly qualified individuals serving our hospitals,” said Secretary Siedlecki. “I have complete faith that Chris and Steve will strengthen the operations in our institutions to deliver the highest quality of care for the people of Kansas.”