Great Bend Post

GREAT BEND -When news came out last week that Dwight Young from the Center for Counseling and Consultation in Great Bend had sexual harassment allegations against him, most people assumed the women that filed the lawsuit were seeking action against Young.

Two women filed a federal lawsuit with reports of the former executive director demonstrating “serial predatory sexual behavior.”

The current executive director of the Center, Doug McNett, says the lawsuit is directed at the Center and not Mr. Young.

“The lawsuit is just against the center,” said McNett.” That makes it unique in terms of what we can and can’t say. We have an obligation to protect Mr. Young’s personnel records as well as these two individuals.”

One former and one current woman filed the lawsuit with representation from a Wichita lawyer. The civil case begins in the 1980s with reports of Young allegedly asking staff members about sexual habits, giving inappropriate gifts, having inappropriate conversations, and belittling women staff members.

McNett wanted to reassure the public that the mental health provider in Great Bend is operational throughout the lawsuit. “This lawsuit won’t impact the financial integrity of the agency,” he said. “We have professional liability insurance so the lawsuit will not impact or day to day or long term operations.”

The lawsuit also goes after McNett and The Center for Counseling and Consultation Board for hiring McNett as Young’s replacement instead of hiring one of the women from the lawsuit that was also qualified.
Young resigned as the executive director shortly after a local attorney was hired to investigate the claims against Young.