As part of our continued effort to prevent the need for
families to have formal contact with DCF, the agency is awarding grants to 10
Kansas communities to assist in the creation of Family Resource Centers.
“If we can
help build the skills necessary for families to succeed, we can prevent the
need for families to have contact with DCF, especially the child welfare
system,” Secretary Laura Howard said. “These centers will focus on parent
resilience, social connections and important parent and child development
skills which we believe will result in fewer youth in the foster care system.”
The centers
will serve as community hubs with sole purpose of supporting families in their
own neighborhoods. Parents will have easier access to programs and services
like job skills training, early childhood programs and nutrition services.
DCF awarded
grants to:
Listing of key staff| Agency |
Counties Served |
Award Amount |
|---|
| Community Children’s Center |
Douglas County |
$208,300 |
| Kansas Family Advisory Network SE |
Allen, Bourbon, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Crawford, Labette, Linn, Montgomery, Neosho, Osage, and Wilson Counties |
$208,300 |
| Kansas Family Advisory Network SW |
Barton, Comanche, Edwards, Finney, Ford, Gray, Greeley, Harvey, Lyon, Marion, McPherson, Meade, Pawnee, Reno, Rice, Seward, and Stafford Counties |
$208,300 |
| Kansas Children’s Service League |
Sedgwick County |
$208,333 |
| KU Project Eagle |
Wyandotte County |
$208,095 |
| Live Well NWKS |
Cheyenne, Rawlins, Decatur, Norton, Sherman, Thomas, Sheridan, Graham, Wallace, Logan, Gove, and Trego Counties |
$208,300 |
| Pony Express |
Marshall and Washington Counties |
$197,443 |
| Turner USD 202 |
Wyandotte County; USD 202 |
$84,000 |
| Urban League of Kansas |
67214 zip code in Sedgwick County |
$124,999 |
| USD 252 Lyon Co. |
Lyon County communities of Neosho Rapids, Harford and Olpe |
$106,142 |
| |
Total awarded: $1,762,212 |
DCF partners with the Kansas Children’s Service League (KCSL) to administer the Family Resource Center network. KCSL will work with the communities to design and create their center. As the lead operator of the Parent Helpline, 1-800-Children, KCSL offers important insights on parenting and caregiver resources that will help ensure the success of each Family Resource Center.
Family Resource Centers are designed for all families with services at no or low cost for participants.