For Immediate Release
September 26, 2024
For more information, contact
Director of Communications
Cara Sloan-Ramos
WICHITA, Kan. – The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) has partnered with the Kansas Prevention Collaborative (KPC) to host the seventh annual Kansas Prevention Conference on October 3-4, 2024, with a pre-conference session on October 2. This year’s conference, “Harvesting Hope in the Heartland,” welcomes five outstanding keynote speakers and breakout session speakers from across the nation.
The KPC Conference will provide attendees with educational opportunities to increase awareness of emerging trends in prevention, build skills and knowledge to prevent suicide, alcohol, tobacco, and other drug misuse, and advocate for best practices. Participants will also learn ways to connect and network with their community and advocate for best practices in prevention.
“People of all ages experience mental health challenges, but recently growing concerns among adolescents reporting adverse experiences with depression, suicide, and drug use has placed an important emphasis on engaging youth across the state to help us educate Kansas communities about prevention,” KDADS Prevention Program Manager Stephanie Rhinehart said. “This year’s conference will tap into the youth voices and how important it is to allow them to share their ideas on the best ways to educate their peers.”
The conference will kick off on October 3 with four keynote addresses by young Kansans dedicated to improving their community. Tom Nguyen of Garden City, Isabelle Blackwood of Clay Center, Jasmine Figueroa of Great Bend, and Zach Dixon of Moundridge will each share their experiences, passions, and hopes in the field of prevention. This session promises to be a powerful reminder of youth's vital role in shaping effective prevention strategies and creating healthier, safer communities for all.
Rikki Barton, founder and lead consultant at Onward Consulting, LLC, will close the conference on October 4 with a keynote presentation, “Tokens are for Arcades: Engaging Youth in a Meaningful and Purposeful Way.”
KDADS’ Behavioral Health Services (BHS) Commission and the KPC are excited to provide this learning opportunity to communities across Kansas. To learn more about the conference, view the schedule, and read more about the keynote speakers, visit kansaspreventioncollaborative.org/conference.
KPC is a group of six partner organizations funded by KDADS working to integrate and innovate behavioral health prevention efforts. This conference is part of KPC’s strategy to ensure that Kansans get the tools they need to prevent underage drinking, substance misuse, problem gambling, and suicide. Partner organizations are KDADS, HeadQuarters Kansas, Wichita State University Community Engagement Institute, DCCCA, Learning Tree Institute at Greenbush, and Life Span Institute University of Kansas.
These 6 partner organizations, along with these seven conference sponsors, make this year’s event possible: Kansas Department of Health and Environment, The Kansas Institute for Positive, Healthy, and Inclusive Communities, Compass Behavioral Health, Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas, Centurion Health, Unite Us, Caring Across Cultures, and Suicide Prevention Readiness Training.
About the Keynote Speakers:
Born in Vietnam and raised in the heart of Southwest Kansas, Tam “Tom” Nguyen is a Garden City High School and St. Joseph's University in New York graduate with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy. At age 21, Tom is the youngest city commissioner in Kansas. He serves as a beacon of care in his hometown. His dedication to service reflects a deep-rooted commitment to making a meaningful difference in the lives of those around him.
Isabelle Blackwood is involved in theater, tennis, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, YLinK, mathletes, Scholars Bowl, and two national prevention boards. She works full-time training service dogs for individuals with disabilities and works as a server at a small local cafe in her spare time.
Jasmine Figueroa was recognized as the 2023 Kansas Youth Leader of the Year by KDADS. She is a 2024 Outstanding Achievement Award winner and 2023 Next Generation Leader of the Central Kansas Partnership - Youth Crew. She serves as a Resist Youth Council Member with the Kansas Department of Health and Education and earned the 2022 Health Occupations Students of America HOSA (HOSA) Chapter Member of the Year award for serving two consecutive years as USD 428 HOSA President. Jamie is the recipient of the Give Something Back scholarship; she is particularly interested in medicine and public health and plans to pursue these fields in college. Most recently, Jasmine joined the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) National Youth Advisory Council, where she looks forward to contributing to national youth substance misuse prevention initiatives.
Zach Dixon serves on the STAND Regional Board through Mirror Inc. and was recently elected by his fellow board members as this year's STAND Board President. He plans to attend Hutchinson Community College to pursue a degree in Business/Finance.
About the Kansas Prevention Collaborative:
The Kansas Prevention Collaborative was created in 2015 to integrate and innovate behavioral health prevention efforts. A partnership of several different state, educational, and provider agencies, the KPC’s goal is to expand prevention efforts to include mental health promotion, suicide prevention, and problem gambling education and awareness, as well as increase the availability of resources to adequately fund local-level prevention and promotion strategic plans. For interviews, media inquiries, or more information, please contact the Kansas Prevention Collaborative at KPCTeam@wichita.edu.