Supporting Our Vulnerable Populations
Important work, investments and innovation took place throughout 2023 to ensure Johnson County Government provided support to our community’s older adults, people with an intellectual or developmental disability and those needing support with behavioral health or substance abuse treatment. We piloted new programs, found new partners, added more resources and worked side-by-side with our community’s most vulnerable populations.
Lighting the Way by…
…finding new ways to support our older adults
The older adults in our community were able to leverage new classes, new programs and new resources in 2023 to help them remain in their homes, navigate through paperwork, learn a skill and expand their horizons.
In 2023, the BOCC authorized $500,000 for a new pilot program that in 2024 will provide a property tax rebate to qualifying seniors and veterans with disabilities. Resources were expanded so older adults could get assistance navigating Medicare and other health insurance programs through Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas. MED-ACT introduced new CPR and First Aid classes specifically created for older adults to learn these life-saving skills.
A new partnership in 2023 addressed an increasing wait list for older adults in Johnson County wanting to participate in the Home-Delivered Meal program. To help solve this problem, Aging and Human Services began a partnership with Door Dash’ s Project DASH. When someone requests this service but there are no openings on their Home-Delivered Meal route, the client is offered a Project DASH route – a frozen meal delivered to their door. In 2023, this program made approximately 400 deliveries after launching in July.
Older adults also benefitted from life-enriching opportunities from the county in 2023! In May, Aging and Human Services hosted four in-person events to celebrate Older Americans Month, covering a wide range of topics from arts to music to health and fitness to gardening. Johnson County Park and Recreation District introduced a new virtual travel program where 250 participants traveled across the United States from the comfort of their homes.
…serving low-income households
Aging and Human Services’ multi-service centers experienced their highest activity levels ever (even compared to before the pandemic.) AHS Implemented new boundaries for the multi-service centers with the goal of making them more accessible to residents in underserved areas of Johnson County. In 2023, these centers offered almost $1,195,000 in financial aid for rental and utility support. Due to an allocation of federal COVID funding from the BOCC, AHS was able to assist 1,858 households with utility assistance.
…supporting those with an intellectual or developmental disability
Johnson County Developmental Supports continues to provide crucial services and programs for the people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live, work and have enriching lives in our community.
2023 kicked off in a creative way for the Johnson County Emerging Artists. From January through March, their artwork was featured in the Peripheral Visions art exhibit at Kansas City Public Library’s Central Library. Works by artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities are often shown on the periphery of the art world, but this exhibit shone the spotlight on their pieces.
In 2023, JCDS launched a DSP+ Apprenticeship program in partnership with InterHab and Wichita State University. This is part of an initiative to grow and professionalize the Direct Support Professional career path. Nine JCDS staff members participated in the first class.
One of the areas where JCDS shines is supporting people through the employment services program. In 2023 JCDS assisted 47 people to get jobs and provided ongoing employment supports to 118 additional people.
Those supported by JCDS earned on average $12.93 per hour (100% received minimum wage or better) and worked 18 hours per week in 2023. This program generates more than $1 million in personal income for residents of Johnson County with IDD.
…meeting an increasing demand for mental health services
The demand for mental health services continues to rise in our county. It’s importance as a county service always rises to the top in our annual community survey. Johnson County Mental Health Center is constantly growing, innovating, forming new partnerships and expanding services to meet the evolving needs of the people we serve.
In 2023, partnerships continued to serve as a way for JCMHC to expand its reach into the community. At the beginning of the year, the BOCC approved a new clinician position to provide assessment services for Olathe Health (now part of The University of Kansas Health System.) Other 2023 JCMHC partnerships included joining forces with TeamTech, LLC to launch the Remarkably Resilient Together community campaign, raising awareness about trauma, healing, and resilience. Advancing its mission to provide life-changing support and services to individuals with Down syndrome in our community, Down Syndrome Innovations partnered with JCMHC to provide weekly, in-person therapy services to individuals and families by a licensed mental health clinician.
Two JCMHC programs got new homes in 2023 in an effort to expand or improve service to the community.
In August, the Adolescent Center for Treatment, a residential program for teen substance use treatment, moved to the Youth & Family Services Center in Olathe. The move is the program’s second stint in the Youth & Family Services Center. The move back to Olathe includes an additional bed for the program, making it an 11-bed facility with room to grow.
In December, the JCMHC team that answers calls to 988 and the local crisis line relocated to the County Communications Center in Olathe…the same place where county 911 dispatchers work. This move makes it easier for people doing similar work to jump in and help each other when needed, creating a better response when our community members reach out to us in times of emergency or crisis.
Did You Know?
- JCDS provided residential supports to 120 adults.
- Johnson County Mental Health Center had more than 201,000 encounters with people in the community.
- The Area Agency on Aging served 7,982 households.
- Aging and Human Services provided 221,128 Home Delivered Meals and 6,530 Catch-a-Ride trips.