TOPEKA – Secretary Laura Howard today announced that the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS), through its Kansas Community Suicide Prevention Grant program, has awarded $595,000 to address the ongoing crisis of suicide in Kansas. Seventeen community organizations have received $35,000 each to develop community-specific strategies to prevent suicide among at-risk Kansans.

Governor Kelly's allocation of $1.5 million in state general funds to KDADS’ Behavioral Health Services Commission in fiscal year 2023 strengthens this expansion of suicide prevention efforts across Kansas.

“Mental health services are crucial for Kansans facing crisis,” KDADS Secretary Laura Howard said. "These investments save lives by supporting suicide prevention programs across the state."

These 17 organizations will implement effective evidence-based prevention strategies that build and expand current suicide prevention infrastructure in a culturally competent way. Grantees will work to reduce the stigma surrounding suicide, emphasizing diversity and inclusion:

• Barton County Health Department
• Central Kansas Mental Health Center
• Clay County Health Department DBA Clay Counts Coalition
• Crawford County Mental Health Center
• DCCCA, Inc.
• Elizabeth Layton Center, Inc.
• Finney County Community Health Coalition
• Johnson County Mental Health Center
• KVC Behavioral Healthcare, Inc.
• Mental Health America of South-Central Kansas, Inc.
• Miami County Health Department
• Nemaha Valley Community Hospital
• Prime Fit Youth Foundation
• Safe Streets Wichita
• Spring River Mental Health & Wellness, Inc
• University of Kansas Medical Center Research Institute, Inc.
• Wichita State University

“KDADS continues to cultivate ways to invest in prevention infrastructure, particularly suicide prevention. We are working hard to reduce the number of suicide deaths, and these grant dollars contribute significantly to our prevention efforts,” KDADS Behavioral Health Services Commissioner Drew Adkins said.

KDADS will provide support for the execution of comprehensive plans that include community assessments, increasing engagement with community members, fostering social connectedness, and contributing to long-term sustainability. Grantees will collaborate with the Kansas Suicide Prevention Coalition while they work to create positive change within their community.