Phone: 913-715-0725
111 S Cherry, Suite 3300, Olathe, KS 66061
The County Manager's Office is responsible to the Board of County Commissioners and the residents of Johnson County for the effective and efficient delivery of programs and services, using sound management and financial principles while emphasizing high ethical values, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Three county departments are piloting a new Volunteer Management System (VMS) that makes it easier for residents to find volunteer opportunities in Johnson County Government. Johnson County Library, Human Services and Developmental Supports are the three departments using the system to publish volunteer opportunities and communicate with volunteers. In 2017, these three departments utilized approximately 2,500 volunteers working more than 77,000 hours.
The new system allows residents to search by department, keyword, or city to find service opportunities that match their passions. Volunteers can create a secure profile account to register for specific volunteer programs or events, browse immediate needs posted by each department, sign up for training, and manage their scheduled volunteer opportunities.
The new Volunteer Management System (VMS) is easily accessible through the county’s website. Residents simply click the picture of one of the departments or the orange Volunteer Information & Services button. At the completion of the pilot, it will be determined if other departments will be added to the program. Until then, residents can still review opportunities for other departments and agencies on jocogov.org. The VMS and other volunteer opportunities are also accessible under the Residents tab from the menu throughout the site.
The Johnson County Community Developmental Disabilities Organization invites the community to attend a Resource Fair and Marketplace for individuals who have intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and their families. There will be an opportunity to visit with many community support agencies and learn about resources available in Johnson County. Light refreshments will be served.
The event is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 4 at the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, 8788 Metcalf Ave. in Overland Park.
For additional information, please contact Sheri Kendall or phone 913-826-2507.
Family Day on Sept. 24 is more than a day on the calendar. Family Day celebrates simple, everyday things parents can do to connect with their kids. Since 2001, the grassroots effort has encouraged families to make time to connect at various times of the day. Whether driving your kids to practice, tucking them into bed, or enjoying a meal around the dinner table, the day offers everyone an opportunity to take a break and enjoy time as a family. Family Day is all about making every day special.
The simple, little things you do with your kids make a big difference. These activities create strong, healthy relationships that can prevent future drug use. On the fourth Monday of September, Family Day brings together communities across the country to celebrate the positive influence parents have on their kids. Here is a list of free or inexpensive fun activities for your family to enjoy.
Why is it so important to act early? If your kids aren’t used to talking to you about their day when they are 8 or 10, it’s harder to start at 12-14.
Research published in the journal New Directions for Child and Adolescent Behavior found that dining as a family can help improve literacy among children, as family conversations build their vocabularies and story comprehension. Another study from CASA Columbia found that teens who frequently participated in family dinners were less likely to experiment with alcohol and drugs. Still not convinced? Data collected by Rutgers, the state university of New Jersey, indicated that families who ate meals together were typically healthier than those that didn't. Kids were more likely to chow down on fruits and veggies, and they were less likely to exhibit signs of depression.
Family Day is a national initiative created by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse to promote simple acts of parental engagement as key ways to help prevent risky substance use in children and teens.
Now, how will your family participate in Family Day? We’d love to see you post a selfie of your family enjoying the day to social media using #JoCoFamilyDay.
We hope you enjoy this video about Family Day.
The Johnson County Election Office is seeking 1,000 new election workers to serve voters at Johnson County polls during the Nov. 6 General Election.
To be eligible to serve, residents must be registered to vote at their current address in Johnson County, complete election worker training and be available 5:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. the day of the election. The training sessions will be offered multiple times between Oct. 20 and Oct. 31, including evening and weekend options.
Workers are paid a stipend of $110 for Election Day, $25 for attending classroom training and $25 for hands-on training with the voting equipment.
Residents can get more information or apply to become an election worker on the Johnson County Election Office website.
Bring the entire family and help celebrate the grand opening of Big Bull Creek Park, the Johnson County Park and Recreation District's newest park.
Big Bull Creek Park is located at 20425 Sunflower Road in Edgerton, Kansas.
The ribbon cutting will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018, at the Sunflower Road access point. Light refreshments will be provided and there will be giveaways while supplies last.
Following the ribbon cutting, the park police substation/park maintenance facility and the organized group camp area will be open.
Other highlights of the park include:
Construction for Big Bull Creek Park began in the spring of 2017. The park totals 2,060 acres and will be the largest park in the JCPRD park system.
Today the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners unanimously authorized three new full time positions, and transitioned two part time positions to full time, for the Johnson County Mental Health Center. Funds for these new positions will come from state contract funding and revenue generated from fees, as opposed to taxpayer dollars. Below is a summary of the new positions and the reasons they are needed.
Two Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) for Open Access Clinician positions.
Mental Health utilizes an open access model of service, where clients can walk in seeking services without an appointment. The department operates two open access clinics in Olathe and Shawnee. The number of walk-in clients increased more than 10 percent from 2016 to 2017. Staff estimates the number will increase another 4 percent this year.
One Full time Equivalent for a Dispatcher position.
The dispatcher will assist the Mental Health Center transportation program, which allows to clients earn income by providing rides to other Mental Health clients to work, school or medical appointments. In 2017 the program expanded to provide transportation to and from work for Johnson County Developmental Supports clients. The program has steadily grown to more than 25 vehicles and more than 50 drivers, requiring additional staff.
Expanded a current part time Vocational Case Manager to full-time.
Vocational Rehabilitation Services assist clients in finding competitive employment so they can be more self-supportive and live in the community. One of the most effective treatments for mental illness is assisting clients in finding employment. Mental Health maintains an adult employment rate of about 40 percent…double the rest of the state of Kansas.
Expanded a current part time Mental Health Clinician to full-time.
This position works with Assisted Outpatient Treatment, which delivers outpatient treatment under court order to adults with severe mental illness, assisting individuals who have experienced repeated hospitalizations or arrests. These individuals are most at risk for the negative consequences associated with not receiving treatment. AOT laws have been shown to reduce hospitalization, arrest and incarceration, homelessness and violent acts associated with mental illness.
Get access to published meetings, resolutions, transcripts, management reports, and general files from the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners board meetings.
111 S Cherry St, Olathe, KS 66061 | 913-715-5000 | TDD: 800-766-3777
© Johnson County, KS, USA 2018
