Community project funding/congressionally directed spending - construction - proposed project description founded in 1972, kidstlc's mission is to "transform the lives of children and families…

Community project funding/congressionally directed spending - construction - proposed project description founded in 1972, kidstlc's mission is to "transform the lives of children and families experiencing mental and behavioral health challenges, developmental trauma, and autism." the agency provides a continuum of behavioral health service levels, including a psychiatric residential treatment facility, outpatient behavioral health programs, autism services, and parent support/health navigation programming. The proposed rooted in hope capital campaign phase II will expand the psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF) and contribute to reengineering the existing campus to maximize services and increase the effectiveness of all programming. Major renovations are needed on building 4, an existing two-story, 18,321-square-foot youth residential building. Need to be addressed amidst rising health care inequities, children and youth with behavioral health issues remain one of the most at-risk populations in our community for homelessness, substance abuse, incarceration, or suicidal/self-harming behaviors. Many youth with severe trauma histories/mental health issues require immediate and often intensive interventions before their situation becomes serious enough to warrant acute hospitalization or, worse, lead to incarceration or suicide. The children's mercy 2022 community health needs assessment reports that in 2012, only 6.9% of children (ages five through 17) in the kansas city area experienced low mental health ratings. In 2022, that number more than doubled to 14.3%, depression diagnoses jumped from 4.1% to 14.1%, and anxiety diagnoses spiked from 8.1% to 25.6% over the same period. Statewide, the number of PRTF beds has declined by nearly 40% in the last 12 years, from 784 beds in 2011 to 484 beds in 2024. Further, few providers outside of kidstlc PRTF accept youth with serious disorders and trauma, and waitlists are long, with an average of 80-150 youth waiting four to eight months at kidstlc's PRTF for a vailable beds. Proposed services the proposed renovations to building 4 will provide a cohesive, consistent environment that is welcoming and therapeutic for clients to live in and receive treatment. The project includes reconfiguring and remodeling the areas where children sleep to create a more therapeutic environment, additional office space for staff and therapeutic services, two new parent/family training apartments, upgraded ADA-compliant restroom facilities, improved recreation space for youth, and a new energy-efficient HVAC system. These renovations are critical as kidstlc begins serving an increased number of families through specialized residential programming for youth with higher needs, a community need within kansas. The campus will serve approximately 350 youth through 50,000 encounters each year, doubling the original capacity. These proposed renovations will ultimately help support kidstlc's therapeutic experience that promotes connection, healing, social growth, and overall wellness by including meaningful and healthy wrap-around experiences for children conducted in a safe environment. To accomplish this, kidstlc treats children with evidence-based talk therapy methods and provides other forms of expressive therapies and physical wellness activities that address the whole child. Population to be served the proposed renovation will support kansas youth, ages 18 months to 18 years, who are experiencing serious mental and behavioral health disorders, developmental trauma, and autism. This includes johnson, douglas, wyandotte, shawnee, leavenworth, and miami counties of kansas; 30% of youth served are from johnson county, and 70% are from the other counties listed.