KU News Release

LAWRENCE — More than 600 Finney County families will benefit from a $4.25 million grant recently awarded to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The University of Kansas’ Institute for Educational Research and Public Service wrote the grant on behalf of KDHE, the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, the Kansas Early Learning Coordinating Council and the Finney County Community Health Coalition. KU will be the project manager and evaluator for the project.

The funds are part of Project LAUNCH (Linking Actions for Unmet Needs in Children’s Health), a project of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Project LAUNCH is a five-year cooperative agreement that supports coordination of state and local services to strengthen families.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Project LAUNCH works toward coordinated programs that take a comprehensive view of health. It addresses the physical, emotional, social and behavioral aspects of wellness. The public health approach addresses the health needs of the population rather than addressing only the health problems of individuals. Project LAUNCH seeks to improve outcomes at the individual and community levels by supporting protective factors that keep families strong.

“Faced with a vibrant and diverse community in southwest Kansas, the system to support families must address challenges that meet the needs of a rapidly changing population in a largely agriculture community,” said Kevin Gallagher, vice president of mission and ministry at St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City. “This grant will help us develop and enhance service to meet these challenges.”

Eighty percent of the money will go toward efforts in Finney County. While Kansas continues to be predominantly Caucasian, Finney County has experienced tremendous growth in minority populations such as Hispanic, Vietnamese, German Mexican Mennonites and most recently Burmese and Somalians. There has been a 110 percent increase in residents of Hispanic ethnicity from 1990 to 2000. Currently, 44.5 percent of residents identify as Hispanic, compared with 8.8 percent in Kansas overall.

Through state and local collaboration, Project LAUNCH will support evidence-based services that strengthen families and will enhance current programs in the community. The work will build on early childhood efforts that have been led by Smart Start Southwest Kansas and the Russell Child Development Center. Project LAUNCH will expand strengthening families efforts in Finney County that have been led by the Community Health Coalition partners including the Kansas Children’s Service League, Area Mental Health Center and USD 457 Parents as Teachers. Finney County was a prime location for the LAUNCH initiative because of the already established collaboration among agencies, businesses and the community.

The Kansas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics will also partner in this effort to provide training on developmental screening in Finney County and in select communities across the state.

“Project LAUNCH represents a great way to be able to work on state issues as well as to enhance services to children and families in Garden City,” said Jim Redmon, executive director of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund. “It’s a great opportunity for children and families.”