19 Jun United Inner City Services Receives $100,000 Grant from the Jackson County Community Children’s Services Fund
United Inner City Services (UICS) recently received a grant for $100,000 from the Jackson County Community Children’s Services Fund to improve mental health outcomes for low-income children and families in Jackson County, Missouri. UICS will expand the UICS Mental Health Intervention program, essentially duplicating the existing program from St. Mark Center, to the new campus, UICS Metro Center.
The purpose of the UICS Mental Health Intervention program (MHIP) is to develop strong social and emotional health of all children while providing additional intervention for children and families exhibiting mental health needs. Expansion of services to Metro Center will widen access to mental health treatment and ensure intervention during the critical early childhood years. Funding will support the intervention activities previously listed as well as the salaries of a new part-time behavioral interventionist for Metro Center, and the Family Advocate. This grant will also support professional development for staff and workshops for parents. As a part of this program, all new staff will be trained in Conscious Discipline techniques as well as the Trauma Informed Care Model. Funding will also support several community events and positive social and emotional health of students. This includes training for parents such as Conscious Discipline, parenting techniques and support, and other parent/child relationship building experiences.
The UICS Mental Health Intervention program is aimed at shifting attitudes about mental health among family and staff through professional development and parent workshops, providing early intervention to interrupt further development of mental health disorders, widening access to a population that is not currently seeking mental health services through a behavioral interventionist available on contract for direct, mental health intervention, and referrals for students and families.
United Inner City Services (UICS), located in the 12th Street corridor near downtown Kansas City, has been addressing the needs of urban Jackson County since 1967. Among the services provided are early childhood education, emergency assistance, resource coordination and support for families. The core activity of UICS is the St. Mark Center, which provides project-based, art-infused early childhood education (ages six weeks to five years). This is an expansion of the original purpose of UICS, which started as a childcare center for mothers wanting to pursue employment or education to escape the pervasive poverty of the neighborhood and achieve stability.