Blog

KidsTLC recently received a grant for $11,150 from the Johnson County Young Matrons Foundation to support its Therapeutic Recreation and Development program which serves children in the Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) and Sanctuary programs. KidsTLC’s PRTF program’s primary purpose is to treat the effects of complex trauma in children and youth ages 6-18.  Children served in this program are victims of intense traumatic experiences such as abuse, neglect, and/or family disruption and are diagnosed with one or more mental illnesses.  It has become a model for successful treatment state-wide to address the rising number of children struggling with mental health issues.  In addition to the PRTF program, in mid-2015 KidsTLC opened a new residential unit called the Phoenix Sanctuary to provide a more short-term residential option for children.  The program is a 15-bed unit providing short-term, residential crisis stabilization and respite for children and adolescents ages 6–17 who are in crisis. These children are experiencing moderate social, emotional, family, or placement problems.  The services within the Sanctuary are aimed at preventing youth from entering state custody and higher levels of mental health care.  The Phoenix Sanctuary has 24-hour client care, intake support, and psychiatric consultation as needed. The program utilizes the same philosophy of care as for children in long-term care in the PRTF.

Powell Gardens was recently awarded a $500 grant from the Lee’s Summit Rotary to support the Trails Tales program. The Trail Tales program is a new collaborative effort between Powell Gardens, the Mid-Continent Public Library, and the Rabbit Hole, Kansas City's future children's literature museum and “Explorastorium.” Trail Tales will feature a garden- and nature-themed children's book on interpretative signage throughout our 170+ acres of cultivated and natural areas from September through October of 2019.

Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired (CCVI) recently received a grant for $20,000 from the Developmental Disabilities Resource Board of Clay County – Capital Grant Program to refurbish the changing rooms that serve the therapeutic pool in the Children’s Center Campus. Funding will be used to refurbish the changing rooms to minimize safety concerns, such as changing tables that don’t accommodate larger-size children, poor ventilation, and lockers in a state of disrepair that pose potential safety issues to children and therapists alike.

KidTLC was recently awarded a $2,500 grant from the Flo Harris Foundation to support their Thriving Families Program (previously Street Outreach Services SOS program). Bullying, depression, suicide, and unrealistic demands on children and families can lead to overwhelming levels of family distress. Inability to access appropriate services is one of the biggest barriers for families who are homeless, Spanish-speaking, or have mental health issues. Barriers can include limited knowledge of how/where to access services, cultural stigmas surrounding health issues, lack of knowledge about what services are available or how to pay for services, and transportation to services.

Children’s Mercy Hospital recently received a grant for $60,253 from the Health Forward Foundation to achieve physical and mental well-being for families, caregivers, and children with medical complexity by providing an eight-week, mindfulness-based stress reduction group for parents. Funding will support staff costs, facility costs (rental space), and program supplies. The program will serve 12 children (and 12-24 parents/caregivers), targeting children age 4-6 demonstrating externalizing behaviors from under-resourced (e.g. low-income, under-insured, or uninsured) households, that are transitioning to kindergarten in fall 2020 and whose families face barriers to accessing treatment options.