Nami kansas SCN/JIP project - the national alliance on mental illness of kansas (nami KS) will enhance the capacity and infrastructure of mental health services in kansas through the SCN/JIS project

The project will maintain, expand, and improve sustainability of the statewide consumer network for adults with serious mental illness (SMI) by increasing access to peer support services, education, and statewide peer leadership with a focus on rural communities and incarcerated individuals. According to state reports, kansas is home to over 143,000 adults with SMI. Many of these adults live in rural areas with limited support for SMI and face barriers like waiting lists, transportation, and insurance or financial issues. The current project will allow nami kansas to deliver nami signature programs to approximately 3,000 consumers with SMI throughout the state each year via law enforcement education (nami sharing your story with law enforcement-sysle), recovery support (nami connection support group), recovery programming (nami peer-to-peer-P2P), and advocacy training (nami smarts for advocacy). Over the full three years of the project, approximately 9,000 total consumers will be served. Nami KS will also convene the kansas peer alliance network (K-pan) to finalize and implement the peer engagement plan (PEP) to address high incarceration rates of adults with SMI in kansas. The following is a condensed summary of the project goals and objectives. 1. Increase engagement of individuals with SMI in peer support organizations/groups. A. Train 10 new sysle presenters. B. Train 15 new connection leaders for rural communities and correctional facilities. C. Host 100 additional connection groups in rural communities and correctional facilities. D. Train 10 new P2P leaders for rural communities and correctional facilities. 2. Increase engagement of individuals with SMI in peer support leadership training. A. Add connection groups to 1 new correctional facility and 3 new county jails. B. Add P2P classes to 1 new correctional facility and/or community corrections agency. C. Host connection groups at a total of 4 correctional facilities and 7 county jails, community correction agencies, and/or short-term hospitalization centers. D. Host P2P classes at 4 correctional facilities and 7 county jails, community correction agencies, and/or short-term hospitalization centers. 3. Increase opportunities for individuals with SMI to participate in local & state leadership. A. Train 50 additional peer advocates in nami smarts for advocacy. B. Organize a rally for peer advocates at mental health advocacy day each year. C. Recruit & nominate peer advocates for the nami KS advocacy committee D. Recruit 20 nami signature program leaders for state leadership roles 4. Reducing future incarceration for individuals with SMI. A. Convene the K-pan and develop organizational charter. B. Finalize and implement the peer engagement plan. C. Facilitate K-pan feedback on implementation of the peer engagement plan. D. Facilitate community feedback on implementation of the peer engagement plan. E. Document and evaluate peer engagement plan results and findings.