05 May Genesis Promise Academy Receives $171,640 Grant from Jackson County Community Mental Health Fund

Genesis Promise Academy recently received a grant for $171,640 from the Jackson County Community Mental Health Fund to support the counseling services at the school.

Genesis counseling services emphasize both mental and behavioral health outcomes in order to strengthen academic progress.  The support provided by Jackson County Community Mental Health Fund will fund the individual therapy, group therapy, and psycho-educational assessments provided to students.

Genesis counseling benefits students’ coping, communication, problem solving, and self-regulation skills. These skills contribute to better attendance and educational outcomes, as well as overall life success. Absenteeism correlates with lower graduation rates, and dropouts earn 30% less than graduates. This decreases the overall contribution to the economy. It also increases the likelihood of the next generation also having mental health issues due to social determinants common to poverty. Mental health services for children can also reduce the burden on welfare and juvenile justice systems, as high numbers of children in these systems suffer from untreated mental health problems.

Genesis is located in a high-crime and high-poverty area of Kansas City. Area conditions continue to have a major effect on students.  Counseling services are provided to students based upon need.