By JACKIE TAYLOR | February 18, 2026

Mental health deserts

As a paper, the Linn County News has reported on the salaries paid to high-ranking executives at Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center. The salaries are huge, to say the least, especially when compared to what salaries/hourlies are being paid to those in the six-county area SEKMHC serves.

My discussion does not center on salaries, rather the potential consequences lack of mental health can create in a community. I applaud SEKMHC for creating the program with our schools to get counselors into their buildings, time and funding will tell if that program is successful.

There is plenty of discussion on both sides of the aisle whether SEKMHC was effective in their mission; some families were left feeling help through a computer screen was not what they needed, and I’m sure others received great help.

Discussion this week lies with the increased mass shooting events caused by individuals that are in need of or receiving mental health – specifically, those who are transitioning genders. 

I look at family members on “happy pills” and one tiny, little pill can do a world of good in helping an individual through depression. What happens when a host of tiny, little pills are given to someone that has gender issues and is seeking help through the mental health world?

Washingtonstand.com reported, “[Sheila Matthews, co-founder of the nonprofit AbleChild,] emphasized that many mass killings her organization has studied involve individuals prescribed psychiatric drugs, often untested in combination. She also highlighted that transgender identification falls “under the umbrella of psychiatry” and mental health, raising concerns about the role of medical professionals who “support this lie to our children that they can become a different sex” while prescribing so-called gender-affirming drugs — medications that, like many psychiatric drugs, “have never been tested” for long-term effects or interactions.”

Why this comment? Foxnews.com reported Monday night, “A shooting at a Rhode Island ice rink on Monday left three people dead, including a suspect, and three others injured, during a “family dispute,” authorities said, as reports emerged identifying the shooter as transgender.

“When asked about the shooter’s gender, Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves identified the suspect by the birth name Robert Dorgan, noting that the individual also went by Roberta and used the last name Esposito.”

Last week, a shooting occurred in British Columbia, Foxnews.com reports, “The investigation into last week’s shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., that claimed nine lives has moved into a new phase after police cleared the two crime scenes.

“While police say the only known suspect in the case, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, killed herself as police closed in Tuesday, questions remain.

“Police said last week they had no information about whether Van Rootselaar had been bullied at school and officers didn’t find a note. Van Rootselaar dropped out of school four years ago. She was transgender and had started transitioning about six years ago, McDonald said.”

Police in British Columbia refused to state the shooter’s birth gender on camera and did not mention he was a transgender.

Earlier in the year a shooting occurred; the Washingtonstand.com reported, “The tragic shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis last week has reignited a critical question: what role does mental health play in such devastating acts of violence?

“The shooter who opened fire on worshippers and school children identified as transgender. He claimed that he regretted his transition, noting that he had “brainwashed” himself. Nonetheless, there’s been a troubling rise of violent incidents involving individuals identifying as transgender, prompting concerns about the mental health implications of gender dysphoria and the treatments associated with it, as well as other mental health medications.”

Mass shootings bring in the news crews; but transgender individuals also face something that doesn’t get a news crew on scene - suicide. Williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu cited, “A new study from the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law finds that 81% of transgender adults in the U.S. have thought about suicide, 42% of transgender adults have attempted it, and 56% have engaged in non-suicidal self-injury over their lifetimes.

The report continued, “Nearly one-third of transgender individuals reported hazardous drinking (28%) and problematic drug use (31%).

“Among transgender adults, 44% reported recent suicidal ideation, 7% reported a recent suicide attempt, and 21% reported recent non-suicidal self-injury.

“The majority (82%) of transgender people have accessed formal mental health care, compared to 47% of cisgender adults. About one-quarter (26%) of transgender people sought support from other sources such as religious and spiritual leaders and alternative medicine practitioners, compared to 20% of cisgender (identifying with the gender a person was born with) adults.”

Though the outcry against the salary disparity at SEKMHC was heard, I’m hoping the cry of many, many individuals with mental health issues doesn’t fall on deaf ears; or ears that aren’t’ there because of funding issues.

It’s only a matter of time that any one of us will come into contact with a person that is in need of mental health resources, let’s hope there’s an agency there to assist them.