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Sunlight Children’s Services reports 243 child advocacy cases served in 2024; outlines expansion plans for Andover services
Summary
Sunlight Children's Services told the council it served 243 victims through its Child Advocacy Center in 2024, provided free mental health services and plans to expand clinician capacity in Andover.
Brent Murphy, CEO of Sunlight Children’s Services, updated the council on the nonprofit’s 2024 work and local services available to children and families in Butler County.
Murphy said Sunlight served 243 victims at its Child Advocacy Center last year and operates two primary programs: a Child Advocacy Center in El Dorado that provides forensic interviews and a residential children’s home that has served 670 placements statewide in 2024. "We do receive some public funds for you guys to help support our children's home and our mission, so we definitely appreciate that," Murphy said.
He said the center added in 2024 mental-health services and that staff have been able to provide free mental-health treatment to Andover residents — eight Andover residents received free services through the center last year. Murphy said the children's home added an on-site therapist to help victims who participate in services and that the organization is seeking to expand mental-health capacity by adding three offices in the basement of the children's home in Andover, with a hoped-for completion by the coming summer.
Murphy described the funding mix for operations as approximately 30–35% grants, 30–35% Department for Children and Families (DCF) stipends for youth in care, and the remainder from fundraising, individual and corporate donations. He said Butler County is the highest county served but the home receives placements from across Kansas and has served 89 counties over 10 years.
Why it matters: Sunlight provides forensic interviews, crisis response and therapeutic services that support law enforcement and child welfare investigations. The planned local expansion would increase immediate access to mental-health care for victimized children in Andover.
Next steps: Sunlight intends to expand office space and therapist staffing in Andover; the organization also operates a thrift boutique in Andover to support operations and volunteering.
