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Harvey County hears update on Waymakers Academy pilot for justice‑involved residents
Summary
The Community Crisis Response Team (CCRT) reported that the Waymakers Academy — an eight‑week program pairing a licensed therapist and peer mentors — will continue beyond its pilot at the Harvey County Detention Center, funded by opioid settlement and All Hands on DECK grants.
Larry Alexander, a representative of the Community Crisis Response Team (CCRT), told the Harvey County Commission that the group formally changed its name from Community Chaplain Response Team to Community Crisis Response Team to better reflect its mission and membership.
Alexander described the Waymakers Academy, a partnership among the Harvey County Detention Center, Prairie View, Inc., CCRT and the Harvey County Health Department. He said the program uses an eight‑week curriculum facilitated by a licensed therapist and Kansas‑certified peer mentors and is designed to support detainees with substance use disorders. Funding comes from the county’s opioid settlement funds and an All Hands on DECK grant, and Mirror Inc. will facilitate detention center visits. Alexander shared success stories from participants in the pilot and said the program will continue beyond the pilot period.
Commissioners did not take formal action but received the update and noted the program’s potential to support reentry and treatment‑focused alternatives to incarceration. Staff listed the program as an ongoing initiative with periodic reporting to the commission.
