Kansas
Kansas audit flags staff safety, security concerns at Osawatomie State Hospital
OSAWATOMIE, Kan. — A December publication by the Kansas Legislative Division of Post Audit found the Osawatomie State Hospital does not adequately meet the safety and security standards of its operating staff.
The audit was authorized April 24, 2024, to answer the legislative committee’s initial question:
Does Osawatomie State Hospital adequately ensure the safety and security of its staff?
To conduct the audit, employees were surveyed to better understand the environment at the hospital.
The legislative body visited the hospital and reviewed policy and incident reports with data available from January 2022 to September 2024.
McKenzie Nelson/KSHB
Background
The state psychiatric facility operates two independent hospitals. Since 1863, the hospital has provided inpatient psychiatric and mental health treatment to patients 18 years and older.
Osawatomie State Hospital is entirely state-funded and is not certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
OSH has a capacity for 116 patients. As of August 2024, it held 108.
Acute Care (AAC) held 39 patients with a 60-patient capacity, as of August 2024.
Numerous state agencies oversee the hospital and operate on a $59.6 million budget, 80% of which comes from the state general fund.
Osawatomie State Hospital, one of the largest employers in the county, has 533 authorized employment positions. Jobs range from full-time to part-time and include administrative, facilities and medical personnel.
Issues on hospital grounds
The report revealed Osawatomie State Hospital has a history of problems.
In 2015, OSH lost CMS certification due to repeated safety deficiencies, per the audit. The deficiencies included a lack of nursing staff to perform necessary patient check-ins and security staff not performing duties.
KSLPA
The December 2024 audit also reported a staff member was sexually assaulted by a patient in late 2015, which employees alleged was attributed to a lack of staff.
OSH’s plan to resolve the 2015 issue was to better assess a patient’s risk of violence, increase training, remind staff to use personal safety alarms, and ensure that staffing levels were adequate.
Federal inspectors require renovations on light fixtures, door handles and windows to prevent patient suicide. Such areas should not physically allow for any item that hangs or attaches.
The report also stated staff safety and security pose challenges based on the population served. Staff consistently report patients are one of the biggest reasons they feel unsafe, a combination of verbal harassment and physical assault, per the audit.
Staff identified three main areas to determine whether OSH adequately ensures the safety and security of its staff: physical security, personnel and management culture.
WATCH | Osawatomie State Hospital: A History
The audit outlined OSH does not have adequate processes to ensure physical security.
On-site security staff does not have enough fire-trained staff to respond to campus fires because fire training hasn’t been conducted since March 2024. No policy exists describing fire training requirements for security staff.
The report also outlined a number of other concerns, including OSH does not ensure staff carry required personal safety alarms and doesn’t check if staff respond to alarms timely; facilities staff key tracking does not include complete and accurate accounting of keys; OSH has a process to monitor safety risks and noncompliance with policies but management hasn’t followed the process.
The audit finally reported that OSH management has not created a culture of reporting issues when they’re made aware, including professional boundaries or encouraging employees to speak up, per staff surveys.
Final findings
According to the audit, OSH staff turnover rates were high in the three years the audit committee reviewed data from September 2021 to September 2024.
KSLPA
54% was the highest turnover of all active contracts from September 2023 through August 2024.
Roughly 95% of the state workforce at OSH, which is staff volunteered, worked overtime. In 2024, OSH dished out over 27,000 hours of overtime.
KSLPA
The audit found the overall working environment and culture do not prioritize a safe workplace, noting management’s lack of clear expectations for safety and security processes.
Staff reported having mixed emotions about safety while at work.
KSHB 41 reached out to the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) for comment on the audit. Department spokesperson Cara Sloan issued this statement:
“The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) takes the safety and well-being of all its staff and residents seriously. We recognize the trust placed in us to care for some of Kansas’ most vulnerable individuals. That is why the agency promptly reviewed concerns and took steps to address the findings outlined in the Legislative Post Audit’s report regarding Osawatomie State Hospital (OSH).
“The report acknowledged the unique challenges and safety risks associated with operating a psychiatric hospital. Even with those realities, our actions reflect our unwavering dedication to improving conditions at OSH while fostering a culture of transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement. KDADS is committed to working collaboratively with state leaders, community stakeholders, and hospital staff to ensure we meet the highest standards of care and safety.
“We will continue to work with our staff and partners to address challenges head-on to build a stronger, safer environment for everyone at Osawatomie State Hospital.”
To read the full audit, click here.
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KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. Share your story idea with Ryan.
Kansas
Kansas man charged after brutally stabbing teacher in random daylight attack
A Kansas man has been charged with attempted first-degree murder after allegedly stabbing a woman in an unprovoked attack at a park in Olathe, authorities said.
Kwan Noble Trezvant, 27, was arrested following a report Thursday of an armed disturbance that left a 38-year-old woman, identified in court documents as Jamie Trumpp, with critical injuries, the Olathe Police Department said.
Police said they responded at 12:06 p.m. near the 1000 block of North Ridgeview Road and found the woman suffering from stab wounds.
Trumpp was taken to a hospital for treatment and is expected to survive, according to the Olathe Reporter.
Police told the outlet the attack was “completely unprovoked.”
Trumpp is a choir teacher at Indian Trail Middle School, and community members have organized a meal train fundraiser for her family, the Reporter added.
The Johnson County District Attorney’s Office alleged in its complaint that Trezvant cut Trumpp with a knife in an act of attempted first-degree murder, defined as attempting to “unlawfully, feloniously, intentionally and with premeditation kill a human being.”
Trezvant appeared in court Friday, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 26. He is being held on a $500,000 bond.
Trezvant previously pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery of a law enforcement officer in 2024 and was sentenced to nearly four months in jail.
In 2020, he pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors — obstructing the legal process and possession of drug paraphernalia — and was released on time served.
Kansas
California Baptist vs. Kansas prediction: March Madness 2026 odds, picks, best bet for Round of 64 Friday
Bill Self and No. 4 Kansas open up the March Madness slate against No. 13 California Baptist in East Region play.
The Jayhawks are looking to shake off a 22-point blowout loss to Houston in the Big 12 semifinals, while Cal Baptist takes a ride down I-5 South to San Diego, having won six straight games.
Kansas is a 13.5-point favorite, with the Over/Under set at 138.5 total points, per BetMGM Sportsbook.
With No. 12-seed High Point emphatically beating No. 5 Wisconsin, followed by No. 11-seed VCU’s stunning overtime victory against No. 6-seed UNC on Thursday, the underdogs have injected nervousness into the bracket, validating the belief that any team can win.
Could we see another shocker in this No. 13 vs. No. 4 matchup?
California Baptist vs. Kansas prediction, best bet.
Darryn Peterson’s inconsistent ability to play a full 40 minutes has been the defining narrative of Kansas’ season.
Despite cramping or persistent injuries for the NBA prospect, Kansas managed a 10-2 record without him in the lineup.
His ability to score at all three levels complements the Jayhawks’ top-10 defensive efficiency when he’s on the floor. However, poor shooting nights—such as his 3-of-18 performance at Arizona State—can lead to nightmarish losses for his team.
Melvin Council Jr.’s performance at point guard will be crucial following a poor showing in the Big 12 tournament, where he shot 4-of-26 in two games.
He remains the team’s assist leader, averaging 5.1 per game.
With Flory Bidunga dominating the paint with almost 2.5 blocks per game, Kansas is positioned to potentially seize control later in the contest.
Cal Baptist brings a strong team rebounding approach as well, leading the Western Athletic Conference with 39.9 boards per outing.
Sure, the WAC is not a household name in basketball, but make no mistake, the Lancers’ 25-8 overall record earned them their first-ever bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Cal Baptist, like Kansas, also boasts a clear primary offensive threat in 5-foot-10 Dominique Daniels Jr.
Daniels Jr. is a potent scorer, averaging 23.2 points per game, the fifth-most in Division I, and his perimeter prowess could create difficulties for Kansas, which has struggled to defend the arc.
While the Jayhawks’ recent 4-5 record over their last nine games is concerning, Cal Baptist presents multiple challenges.
Unlike many other high seeds, the Lancers have faced and lost to three Big 12 teams the Jayhawks are familiar with in BYU (a blowout loss), along with relatively close defeats to Colorado and Utah.
Betting on College Basketball?
Adding to the difficulty is the Lancers’ near-top-50 defense, which ranks 51st in adjusted efficiency on KenPom, and near home-court advantage, as this game is about two hours from their campus.
Given these factors, the best betting strategy is a play on the first half, as the game is likely to be much closer than expected heading into halftime.
I’m picking Cal Baptist to cover the first half spread because of the Jayhawks’ tendency to get off to slow starts and their mediocre 5-6 road record away from the Phog this season.
The PLAY: California Baptist +8 first-half spread (-115, bet365 Sportsbook)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Mike Turay is a sports journalist and editor who closely follows the NBA, NFL, college sports and UFC. He has demonstrated expertise in both NBA and NFL player prop bets for nearly three years. Mike is also highly knowledgeable about the sportsbook offer landscape, frequently trying and reviewing the latest apps and sites.
Kansas
Projecting Kansas Basketball’s Rotation for March Madness Games
Over the final few games of the regular season, Kansas head coach Bill Self encountered some unexpected issues with his lineup. Along with a lack of bench production, Jayhawks power forward Bryson Tiller and Self reached somewhat of an impasse, as the redshirt freshman has been playing his worst basketball of the season.
The Jayhawks experimented with some lineup changes in the Big 12 Tournament, though they were ultimately eliminated in the semifinals by Houston, where Tiller did not play a minute in the second half. Self has some big decisions to make regarding his rotation ahead of the tournament.
Is it time for a starting lineup change to replace the struggling Tiller, or should KU stick with its group? Here’s how the rotation should shake out in March.
Starting Five Stays the Same Despite Rocky Stretch
G Melvin Council Jr.
G Darryn Peterson
G Tre White
F Bryson Tiller
C Flory Bidunga
There is no doubt that Tiller needs to be better moving forward, as he has averaged just 5.1 points and 5.4 rebounds on 36.1% shooting over his past seven games. But is changing the starting lineup right as postseason play begins really the answer?
KU has thrived with the double-big lineup at times, as it helps compensate for Flory Bidunga’s lack of height down low. It improves the team on the boards and provides more of an interior presence defensively.
Small-ball lineups with Tre White at the four have had some success, but not enough to justify a full-time shift. Adding another guard to space the floor doesn’t solve much when there is only one or two consistent 3-point threats on most nights.
Tiller has still shown enough this season to warrant a start, at least in the first-round matchup. If Self decides to open a second half with Elmarko Jackson alongside the starters, that is a different conversation to be had, but no drastic moves should be made unless the circumstances are dire.
Top Bench Options: Elmarko Jackson, Jamari McDowell and… Kohl Rosario?
The bench is where things get tricky. KU’s second unit ranks in the bottom 15 nationally in bench points per game, highlighting just how starter-heavy this team has been.
Jackson is the clear sixth man, while McDowell has carved out a role thanks to his perimeter shooting. The question is whether Self is willing to expand the rotation to eight players in the tournament.
It might sound unconventional, but Kohl Rosario deserves a handful of meaningful minutes in the Big Dance. After beginning the season in the starting lineup, the Miami native was gradually phased out of the rotation due to shooting struggles.
Still, he brings value with his athleticism and activity on the offensive glass. In the 22-point loss to Houston — a game with few positives — Rosario was one of the lone bright spots, scoring eight points in a short stretch while knocking down both of his 3-point attempts and grabbing four rebounds.
Self has said in the past that Jayden Dawson would win the team a tournament game, but that feels increasingly difficult to believe right now. The Loyola Chicago transfer’s shooting percentage has dropped to 31.5% on the year, and he hasn’t made more than one field goal in a game since mid-November.
If Self looks to adjust the rotation just a bit, giving Rosario a chance could be a bold but necessary move. Opponents will at least respect his perimeter shot, and the defensive energy he brings could help swing the momentum of a game in KU’s favor.
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