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Johnson County Mental Health to use $200,000 Kansas Fights Addiction grant for prevention programs
Summary
The county’s mental health center will accept a one-time $200,000 state grant to support prevention services including Strengthening Families, a virtual parenting curriculum, quarterly client surveys and an existing behavior-checker tool; staff said no new positions will be added.
Johnson County’s mental health staff told commissioners Feb. 20 that the county plans to accept a $200,000 Kansas Fights Addiction grant and reallocate fund-balance reserves to cover the one-time award for fiscal 2025.
Tanner Fortney of the Johnson County Mental Health Center said the grant will primarily backfill operating costs and allow the center to implement prevention services including the Strengthening Families program and a new virtual parenting curriculum for two age groups (ages 5–11 and 12–17). "This is a $200,000 grant. It is one time. We are not adding any additional FTEs or staffing for this," Fortney said.
Sierra Wright, manager of prevention services, told the board that Strengthening Families will remain an in-person program because part of the curriculum includes families sharing a meal together. Wright said the new virtual parenting curriculum — separate from court-mandated Parenting Forever courses — begins immediately and is intended to expand community access. Wright also said the mental health center’s behavior-checker tool, currently funded at about $5,000 per year, will remain available online for parents to look up symptoms and de-escalation strategies.
Commissioners asked whether the grant replaces lost funds or increases capacity. Fortney said the award is new money that will free up operating dollars and allow the county to expand certain services. The board discussed placing the item on consent for the Feb. 27 business session; no formal vote was recorded during the agenda review.
Why it matters: The grant funds prevention and parent-support programming intended to reduce substance-use risk among youth. Staff said the award will allow continuity of existing services while enabling new virtual options that could increase reach.
What’s next: The item was scheduled for placement on the Feb. 27 consent agenda unless a commissioner pulls it for separate consideration.
