Grants

Community-Based Services

Ability KC

Project Title: Bridging The Gap for Children with Disabilities

2020 – 2021 Funding: $253,000

2021 – 2022 Funding: $401,015

Project Summary: Ability KC’s Childhood Services Program gives children, from birth through adolescence, with disabilities from Clay County the strength, skills and confidence to prepare them for kindergarten, support school reintegration following a diagnosis and increase their independence for a lifetime of success. From Ability KC’s expert therapeutic preschool to individualized multidisciplinary therapies, the breadth of services offered at Ability KC ensures we remain a partner for children with high medical complexities at every stage of life. Ability KC’s childhood services utilizes expert special educators, physical, occupational and speech therapists and ABA implementers to create individualized treatment plans that support each child in achieving a spectrum of goals as unique as they are. We are dedicated to providing high-quality, evidence-based care for increased outcomes of those we serve while ensuring children build a foundation of skills that will propel them to their greatest potential today and throughout their lives.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City

Project Title: Whole Child Development Program

2021 – 2022 Funding: $250,000

Project Summary: The Whole Child Development Program will deliver holistic skill development programming targeting some of Clay County’s most vulnerable young people. This program will incorporate traditional skill development aspects with demonstrated positive outcomes related to personal development, building resiliency, progressing academically, establishing long-term goals and aspirations and other related measurable results. Additionally, this program is designed, through the emerging partnership with Synergy Services, to identify and address mental health issues among Club members through ongoing dedicated assessment and counseling services. Through this program, Club members will participate in daily programming, Monday through Friday, at two identified sites in Clay County.

Easterseals Midwest

Project Title: Nurturing Parent Support Group

2019 – 2020 Funding: $33,634

2020 – 2021 Funding: $40,000

2021 – 2022 Funding: $76,000

Project Summary: Nurturing Parenting Group Program is one of the top parenting programs in the country designed for the treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect. The weekly, 8-session program is evidence-based with over 25 years of research behind it. Easterseals Midwest provides 2 1/2-hour sessions via Zoom. Additionally, families may receive up to seven individual home/parent sessions each 60 to 90 minutes in length.

Feed Northland Kids

Project Title: Supplemental Nutrition for Clay County Children

2020 – 2021 Funding: $65,000

2021 – 2022 Funding: $94,000

Project Summary: There is a critical connection between childhood nutrition and cognitive and physical development. Even short-term nutritional deficiencies can negatively impact a child’s health, behavior, and ability to concentrate and perform complex tasks. This affects physical and mental health, academic achievement, and economic success into adulthood. Requested funding will help the 1,400+ identified hungry children residing in Clay County receive weekend food. Please watch this video to see FNK’s presentation to the Board: Feed NL Kids Presentation

Hillcrest Transitional Housing

Project Title: Shelter and Prevention for Homeless Youth in Clay County

2020 – 2021 Funding: $40,000

2021 – 2022 Funding: $40,000

Project Summary: Funding from the Clay County Children’s Fund will help Hillcrest Transitional Housing prevent homelessness for youth in Clay County through their Rapid Re-Housing program. Homeless households move directly from the streets, emergency or domestic violence shelter into their own rental unit, while receiving supportive services to help them maintain housing and stability. Through multiple connection points each week with their case manager, residents learn (or re-learn) basic life and financial literacy skills, and take steps toward self-sufficiency.

Funds will be used to meet direct client needs, helping households amend rental or utility arrears, providing first and last months’ rent or down payments on new living arrangements, meeting healthcare expenses, and covering other needed expenses to secure housing rapidly.

Kansas City Autism Training Center

Project Title: Treatment Services for Clay County Youth on the Autism Spectrum

2021 – 2022 Funding: $86,250

Project Summary: KcATC is a private, licensed child care facility specializing in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders with 33 full time and 4 part time staff. School is offered with typical features; circle time, recess, lunch, and independent activities designed to facilitate skill building. They also offer at home treatment hours that allow family involvement in the skill generalization. The School Age Program for children ages 6-12, transitions children back into their local schools where they will require no or minimal additional support. Parent and caregiver training ensures the skills learned in the program transfer to the home.

Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care

Project Title: Passages Trauma and Loss Counseling for Clay County Youth

2020 – 2021 Funding: $53,210

2021 – 2022 Funding: $73,580

Project Summary: Passages is a unique, outpatient mental health counseling program for children and families who are experiencing Complicate Grief, who are working through a difficult life transition of any kind, or who are coping with various forms of trauma. This project supports Clay County youth with individual and/or family mental health counseling. Many participating children and families have experienced a sudden, unexpected and often traumatic death of a loved one, including to suicide, homicide, drug or alcohol use, car accident, heart attack or other health event. Oftentimes children experienced trauma as part of the circumstances of loss, including witnessing or being present in the home at the time of death or being involved in an accident to which a sibling or parent was lost. Other children are facing difficult transitions caused by divorce or an ill or injured family member, or have experienced other forms of trauma not related to a death. This partnership expands our capacity to serve children and their families in Clay County through Passages.

Mattie Rhodes Center

Project Title: Youth Behavioral Health Services

2021 – 2022 Funding: $190,440

Project Summary: Mattie Rhodes’ participants represent a predominantly low-income, diverse Latino/ immigrant population experiencing health and mental health disparities. The target population is uninsured (80%), low-income individuals, children, and families with limited and often no access to care. MRC’s Youth Services directly aligns with CCCSF funding priorities expanding mental health services to youth living in Clay County. Mattie Rhodes Center increases access by providing bilingual services to those not served at traditional organizations or clinics. To meet the demands of participants, MRC provides expanded evening and weekend appointments.

Metropolitan Lutheran Ministry

Project Title: Rapid Re-Housing and Emergency Services for Homeless and At-Risk Children & Families

2019 – 2020 Funding: $240,000

2020 – 2021 Funding: $300,963

2021 – 2022 Funding: $419,016

Project Summary: MLM provides Rapid Re-Housing, Homelessness Prevention, and other necessary emergent needs services, assisting homeless and at-risk families with children ages birth to 19 secure or maintain safe, affordable housing, and access home and community-based service interventions. Households are provided intensive case management and coaching in addition to financial supports, establishing short and long-term goals to attain housing stability and self-sufficiency.

Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOSCA)

Project Title: Sexual Violence Counseling for Children in Clay County

2021 – 2022 Funding: $60,062

Project Summary: MOCSA is the only rape crisis center for the Kansas City region, and the only organization serving Clay County that specializes in recovery from sexual violence. In 2019, MOCSA served 85 Clay County children: 77 of these clients received counseling and/or advocacy services, and 8 received crisis line services or victim advocacy. MOCSA will expand counseling services in Clay County for children impacted by sexual violence by establishing a new Clay County Outreach Site in a centrally located facility..

Northland Early Education Center

Project Title: Early Intervention Services

2021 – 2022 Funding: $50,000

Project Summary: Northland Early Education Center (NEEC) is the leading provider of inclusive early education, early intervention and before/after school programs for children with special needs and typical needs in the northland. NEEC currently serves 174 children across the northland through various services, 79% are Clay County residents. Support from the Clay County Children’s Service Fund would support the existing Early Intervention Services (EIS) program. This program provides physical and occupational therapies, speech and language pathology and special instruction. Through the EIS program, a staff of five highly qualified therapists provide direct intervention services and education for children who have special needs regardless of their socioeconomic status.

Northland Therapeutic Riding Center

Project Title: Eliminate Wait List for Clay County Riders and Expand Equine Specialist in Mental Health & Learning Program

2019 – 2020 Funding: $32,525

2020 – 2021 Funding: $51,898

2021 – 2022 Funding: $67,345

Project Summary: The goal of NTRC in the next year is to provide valuable emotional and behavioral therapy for the 28 children and teens with special needs from Clay County who are on our waiting list. Equine therapy is a labor and resource intensive therapy. To eliminate or reduce our wait list, we need to hire more PATH certified instructors, care for and continuously train our 11 therapy horses, employ more barn staff, develop more volunteers, and increasingly improve and maintain our facility.

Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies (EAAT) has proven to be an effective therapy in assisting in emotional awareness, reducing aggression, increasing social skills and encouraging relationship building and bonding. EAAT helps children and youth gain confidence, aids in problem solving, increases or assists in developing empathy, improve communication skills, and develops impulse control. Click here to watch a video showing the impact of EAAT on one family.

Saint Luke’s Hospital dba Crittenton Children’s Center

Project Title: Smart Connections In-Home Mental Health Services

2021 – 2022 Funding: $165,740

Project Summary: Crittenton Children’s Center is the only Missouri psychiatric hospital committed to serving children 3-18 in the Greater KC Region. In 2020, the Crittenton hospital program served 139 Clay County children who presented with mental health symptoms that put them at severe risk to themselves and others. The Smart Connections In-Home project is designed to ensure every child can be successful in the least restrictive environment possible; their home and community. Children struggling with mental health, behavioral, or substance abuse issues are referred by hospital and residential therapists, foster care case managers and other community providers with the goal of stabilizing the family and the child so the child remains in his/her home.

Synergy Services, Inc.

Project Title: Resilient Youth Program

2019 – 2020 Funding: $439,375

2020 – 2021 Funding: $469,746

2021 – 2022 Funding: $539,620

Project Summary: Synergy’s Resilient Youth Services (RYS) provides shelter, transitional living, and mental health services to runaway and homeless youth. The agency’s services range from a 24 hour crisis hotline, crisis counseling, out-patient therapy, case management, referrals to medical, dental, and eye care services, and follow-up care. With a trauma-informed care approach, Synergy provides prevention and early intervention services to stop homelessness, human trafficking, and the long-term behavioral and mental health effects associated with family violence, bullying, addiction, and family conflict. Due to the vulnerability of this age group, Synergy strives to help youth and their families to overcome barriers to critical services. Synergy House and the Transitional Living programs offer vital services for approximately 450 unsheltered Clay County youth annually, and nearly 500 more youth seeking help to find resources and crisis counseling.

Project Title: Safe and Resilient Children’s Program

2019 – 2020 Funding: $345,000

2020 – 2021 Funding: $431,726

2021 – 2022 Funding: $782,446

Project Summary: Synergy’s Safe and Resilient Children’s Program (SRCP) consists of new and existing services for children impacted family violence, child abuse/neglect and family disruption. With a trauma-informed care approach, Synergy helps children and their families through the crisis of homelessness and the associated behavioral and mental health related issues. Emergency shelter and counseling services at the agency’s Children Center (short-term, 30 day placement) and Domestic Violence Center ensure immediate safety and treatment. This funding also supports Synergy’s Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) to provide advanced resource navigation and permanency advocacy services for children and families at risk of long-term disruption and out-of-home placement. Requested funds will support 6 current full-time employees (FTE), increase shelter staff by 4 FTE and cover direct client care and other shelter costs. These funds also support a Permanency Advocate and a clinical position to provide services for the children and families at the CAC.

The Family Conservancy

Project Title: Childhood Mental Health

2019 – 2020 Funding: $308,460

2020 – 2021 Funding: $882,455

2021 – 2022 Funding: $1,024,869

Project Summary: TFC’s Childhood Mental Health project will serve Clay County’s youngest and most vulnerable children through three programming components geared towards providing mental health intervention programming to children birth-to-five years old. 1) Early Childhood Mental Health (ECMH) Programming: Focusing on the promotion of healthy functioning, ECMH staff work individually with children and their caregivers to provide mental health intervention services, address problem behaviors and prevent preschool expulsion. 2) Trauma-Informed Early Educators: This component will provide trauma-informed care training to preschool teachers at NKC Schools. 3) Trauma-Informed Care Orientation Training: TFC will host community Trauma-Informed Care Orientation trainings at North Kansas City Hospital, introducing childcare providers to what trauma is and how it impacts child behavior and caregiving practices. This program was expanded to work with all six Clay County school district preschool programs.

Project Title: Moving Beyond Depression

2020 – 2021 Funding: $133,302

2021 – 2022 Funding: $259,139

Project Summary: TFC’s Moving Beyond Depression project focuses on enhancing the social-emotional development of young children by reducing parental stress and improving interactions through the treatment of maternal depression. Mothers are screened through home-visiting programs and referred to MBD if positive for depression. MBD participants receive two 90 minute assessments, 15 hour-long weekly sessions, and a 1-hour booster session in a month after treatment ends. Average time to complete the program is six months. 85% of mothers who graduate from the program no longer meet the criteria for Major Depressive Disorder.

Please watch this video to see TFC’s presentation to the Board: The Family Conservancy’s Presentation

Tri-County Mental Health Services, Inc.

Project Title: Community Based and School Services

2019 – 2020 Funding: $1,079,608

2020 – 2021 Funding: $1,205,000

2021 – 2022 Funding: $1,650,000

Project Summary: This project meets the Fund’s priorities in at least three ways. First, the project provides “Prevention programs which promote healthy lifestyles among children and youth and strengthen families” through education, skill building, social media and marketing across the Clay County community including school based services. The project provides individual, group, family, music and art therapy. The project is flexible with meeting the individual needs of our youth with many evidence based treatment models and are able to meet our youth in their homes, schools and community.

Project Title: Youth Crisis and Psychiatric Services

2019 – 2020 Funding: $784,910

2020 – 2021 Funding: $900,000

2021 – 2022 Funding: $900,000

Project Summary: This project provides an opportunity to to develop a youth-focused crisis intervention team to help Clay County youth. These youth need immediate attention to deal with severe mental health needs. The services will help those youth access crisis intervention services quickly and efficiently. Through effective and early intervention, the goal is to keep youth in their homes and community, improving safety and getting through the crisis before their needs escalate to needing out-of-home services such as in-patient or residential services.

Please watch this video to see TCMH’s presentation to the Board: Tri-County Presentation

Untied Inner City Services

Project Title: Mental Health Programs at UICS North Center

2021 – 2022 Funding: $174,951

Project Summary: The purpose of the UICS Mental Health Intervention Northland Program is to strengthen the social and emotional health of all UICS-North Center children and their families while providing additional intervention for those exhibiting more significant mental health needs. UICS is seeking funding to support credentialed support and education staff salaries along with Conscious Discipline Trauma Informed materials and trainings. Support will also ensure Conscious Discipline and trauma-informed training for parents/caregivers

Total Funds Committed to Community-Based Services

2019 – 2020: $3,203,512

2020 – 2021: $4,891,300

2021 – 2022: $7,304,472

School-Based Services

Excelsior Springs School District #40

2018 – 2020 Funding: $300,000

2020 – 2021 Funding: $582,945

2021 – 2022 Funding: $700,000

Excelsior Springs School District implemented and expanded projects that include suicide awareness/prevention training for secondary school students, therapy, counseling, ,mental health screenings and case management. Outcomes will include a decrease in bullying incidents, an increase in the number of students receiving mental health services, and an increase in student attendance rate. Please watch this video of Excelsior Springs School Districts Presentation to the Board: Excelsior Springs Presentation

Kearney R-1 School District

2018 – 2020 Funding: $253,575

2020 – 2021 Funding: $601,400

2021 – 2022 Funding: $642,416

Kearney School District implemented and expanded several evidenced projects that include suicide prevention, Trauma Informed Care training for counselors and social workers, as well as Trauma Aware training for staff. In addition, an active Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative provides education for both staff and students. Staff members are receiving crucial professional development in the area of discipline. With students dealing with more issues than ever before, school discipline has also been a focus and mental health services have been greatly expanded. These trainings include both Conscious Discipline and Restorative Practices in the trauma informed classroom. Please watch this video to see Kearney’ presentation to the Board: Kearney School District Presentation

Liberty Public Schools

2018 – 2020 Funding: $900,000

2020 – 2021 Funding: $1,865,900

2021 – 2022 Funding: $1,782,314

Liberty Public Schools (LPS) provide a wide range of services to protect the well-being of children and strengthen families. There are two primary service categories that LPS is able to provide with support from CCCSF: 1) Student and Family Services and 2) Indirect Support. These services are available to all schools and can be accessed through our district referral process. Please watch this video to see LPS’s presentation to the Board: Liberty Public School Presentation

Student & Family Services: LPS works closely with several local agencies to provide supplemental services to students and families, including:

Great Circle provides in-home family therapy and case management in partnership with 2 Therapists and 1 Case Manager.
Summit Behavioral Services has hired 2 BCBAs and 1 Behavioral Implementer to provide behavioral support.
Synergy Services has 3 Therapists who provide individual therapy to students and 4 Resilience Specialists who work with elementary classrooms and small groups.
Tri-County Mental Health (TCMH) assigns 3 Therapists, 2 Expressive Therapists and an Intake Clinician to provide services in-school. They also accept psychiatric referrals.
Other services, including in-home virtual SEL support, are coming soon {TBA – Pending BOE approval}.

Indirect Supports: In addition to providing direct services to students and families, CSF also provides funding for a multitude of indirect services to support Social-Emotional Learning within the LPS community. Indirect supports include funding for:

Panorama SEL Surveys and Data Dashboard
Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports (PBIS) Training
Access to the Signs of Suicide training materials and portals
Conscious Discipline training and supplies
Mesner Puppet Theater SEL lessons with students at the Early Childhood Center and early elementary grades
CSF has also made it possible for LPS staff to attend Social-Emotional Learning-focused conferences, including PBIS, Restorative Practices, Trauma-Informed Care, and ongoing training for LPS mental health professionals.

Missouri City School District

2018 – 2020 Funding: $50,000

2020 – 2021 Funding: $70,800

2021 – 2022 Funding: $37,744

Missouri City Schools introduced and expanded a program that includes teacher and staff training and resources for students to access mental health services remotely. Outcomes will include a decrease in incidents of bullying, students participating in suicide prevention training and an increase in students receiving mental health services.

North Kansas City Schools

2018 – 2020 Funding: $1,500,000

2020 – 2021 Funding: $2,670,900

2021 – 2022 Funding: $3,074,157

The North Kansas City School District continues to expand their counseling and screening services for students, staff training and resources. Outcomes include a decrease in incidents of bullying and school suspensions, students participating in suicide prevention training and an increase in the number of students reaching their treatment goals in counseling.

In addition, the North Kansas School District is focusing on early intervention for kindergarten, first, and second grade students suffering from social maladjustment issues in order to correct the over identification of students labeled with emotional disturbance.

Please watch this video to see NKC’s presentation to the Board: NKC School District Presentation 8-18-21 and Video of Music Therapy Impact

Smithville R-II School District

2018 – 2020 Funding: $181,020

2020 – 2021 Funding: $517,196

2021 – 2022 Funding: $558,913

Smithville School District expanded mental health services such as resiliency and counseling/therapy for individuals, groups and families. Outcomes include increasing student success through the preventative/proactive measures provided to students and staff such as screenings and training for positive behavior supports, social-emotional learning, crisis intervention, suicide awareness, trauma-informed and restorative justice practices. Please watch this video to see their presentation to the Board: Smithville School District Presentation