Children's Services Fund of Jackson County

Children's Services Fund of Jackson County The Children’s Services Fund of Jackson County (CSF) provides financial support to organizations promoting kids’ mental health and emotional well-being.

As we continue gathering information to inform our next academic funding round, CSF recently brought together community ...
08/31/2026

As we continue gathering information to inform our next academic funding round, CSF recently brought together community partners who provide social-emotional and behavioral health services in school settings. At CSF, continuous learning means listening to those closest to the work and using what we learn to inform how we invest in and support our community. This conversation gave us an opportunity to better understand how student needs are identified, how services are implemented and coordinated, and where opportunities exist to strengthen the systems supporting students and schools.

We are grateful to our community partners for sharing their time, expertise, and perspectives. Their insights are helping us deepen our understanding and think intentionally about how CSF can strengthen partners, honor community knowledge, and steward resources in ways that best support the social-emotional well-being and behavioral health of children and youth.

On August 13, 2026, CSF hosted the second gathering of our Mental Health Equity Community of Practice, continuing our in...
08/28/2026

On August 13, 2026, CSF hosted the second gathering of our Mental Health Equity Community of Practice, continuing our investment in shared learning, partner capacity, and equity-centered practice. The convening brought partners together to reflect, learn, and strengthen the conditions needed to advance equity across programs and organizations.

Building on the lessons and relationships developed during our May convening, participants explored how centering community voice, accountability, and the intentional use of equity data can help them move from reflection to action—building the capacity to create meaningful, measurable progress within their programs and organizations. We’re grateful for the commitment, insight, and openness this inaugural cohort continues to bring. We look forward to our final gathering on November 14.

08/25/2026

BOD Meeting Wrap-up…the CSF Board of Directors met in regular session last week. The meeting included a spotlight on the amazing work being done by two CSF partners: Harmony Project KC at Northeast Community Center (NECC-KC) and CAPACares. Agenda items included financial activity for July, an update on the Core Funding round for Calendar Years 2027 and 2028, and information about recently held convenings for Academic Year partners and our Mental Health Equity Community of Practice. The Board will next meet on October 15, 2026, at 3:00 pm.

08/20/2026

Workforce challenges are community challenges—and solving them takes community partners. As part of the Children's Services Fund's two-year Clinical Supervision Cohort pilot, invited partner agencies had the opportunity to apply for reimbursement to offset the cost of providing clinical supervision for 25 employees working toward full licensure. We're excited to partner with 16 organizations that have committed to strengthening the behavioral health workforce while investing in their staff:

• CAPACares

• Centerstone

• Child Protection Center, Inc.

• Cornerstones of Care

• FosterAdopt Connect

• Futures First

• Hope House

• JFS of Greater Kansas City (Jewish Family Services)

• Kansas City Public Schools

• Midtown Community School

• MOCSA

• ReDiscover

• Synergy Services

• The Children's Place

• University Health KC

• Rose Brooks Center

Beyond reimbursement, this pilot is designed as a learning community. Supervisors and supervisees will participate in a cohort to share promising practices, learn from one another, and provide ongoing feedback that will help CSF inform and strengthen the model.

We're grateful to these organizations for their leadership and willingness to help shape a new approach to growing the behavioral health workforce. Together, we're building stronger systems of support for the professionals who care for children and youth across Jackson County.

08/17/2026

At the Children's Services Fund, funding is more than an application—it's a conversation. As part of our Core Funding process, the CSF team meets with many of the organizations that submit full applications. These partner conversations, taking place from mid-August through mid-September, allow us to move beyond the written proposal and engage in meaningful dialogue.

These conversations reflect the values that guide our work:
* Stewardship – Making thoughtful, informed funding recommendations for public resources.
* Transparency – Creating space for open dialogue, questions, and shared understanding.
* Opportunity– Giving applicants the chance to provide context and share more about their proposed work.
* Equity – Recognizing that no application tells the full story and ensuring every organization has the opportunity to be heard.
* Continuous Learning– Deepening our understanding of community needs, emerging trends, and innovative approaches to supporting children and youth.

We're grateful for the time, expertise, and partnership our applicants bring to these conversations. Together, we're strengthening funding recommendations, building stronger relationships, and improving outcomes for children and youth across Jackson County.

The CSF Board of Directors will meet on Thursday, August 20, 2026 at 3:00 pm for their regularly scheduled meeting. This...
08/13/2026

The CSF Board of Directors will meet on Thursday, August 20, 2026 at 3:00 pm for their regularly scheduled meeting. This is an open meeting and the public is invited to attend. The meeting will be held in the CSF Community Room, located on the 14th floor of 2345 Grand Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64108. Parking for guests will be validated if a physcial ticket is presented.

08/11/2026

Building a stronger behavioral health workforce requires more than identifying challenges—it requires investing in solutions. The Children's Services Fund is excited to launch our Clinical Supervision Cohort, a pilot initiative designed to help partner agencies support and retain the next generation of licensed mental health professionals.

Through this pilot, CSF is partnering with agencies to provide clinical supervision for up to 25 employees pursuing full licensure at no cost to the employee or the agency. Recognizing the significant investment agencies make to support emerging clinicians, CSF will reimburse participating partners for the time both the supervisor and supervisee spend in supervision using a unit-based reimbursement model. Partner agencies may receive up to $10,000 per supervisee, per year, helping offset the cost of providing high-quality supervision while removing financial barriers for clinicians working toward licensure.

By strengthening the capacity of our partner organizations, we're investing in a more sustainable behavioral health workforce—and expanding access to quality mental health services for children and youth across Jackson County.

Access to children's mental health services depends on having a strong, qualified workforce. Our 2025 Children's Service...
08/06/2026

Access to children's mental health services depends on having a strong, qualified workforce. Our 2025 Children's Services Assessment identified the limited number of licensed clinicians practicing in the Kansas City metropolitan area as a key barrier to meeting the mental health needs of youth in Jackson County. In response, after a year of co-planning with community partners, the Children's Services Fund launched its inaugural Clinical Supervision Cohort on July 1.

The path to licensure is both rigorous and costly. In Missouri, master's-level clinicians must complete 2,000+ hours of supervised practice before becoming licensed. With supervision costs reaching up to $125 per hour, this requirement can create a significant financial barrier for emerging professionals.

Expanding access to quality mental health care means investing in the people who provide it. By reducing barriers to licensure, we can strengthen the behavioral health workforce, expand access to care, and ultimately help more youth thrive. CSF is excited to partner with agencies and clinicians to support the next generation of licensed mental health professionals serving Jackson County.

Tomorrow is election day in Missouri. As voters head to the polls for the August primary, we ask that they consider the ...
08/03/2026

Tomorrow is election day in Missouri. As voters head to the polls for the August primary, we ask that they consider the question, "is it good for children?" When considering issues that tie to policy...such as restricting the initiative petition process that has given us Medicaid expansion and an increased minimum wage, or potentially repealing the state income tax at a time when Missouri approaches a fiscal cliff...consider how those policy changes will impact children. Will it make their lives better? Will it help them thrive? With those questions in mind, please exercise the amazing opportunity it is to make your voice heard, by voting. ?

In less than a week, Missouri voters will head to the polls for the August primary. One of the questions on the ballot i...
07/30/2026

In less than a week, Missouri voters will head to the polls for the August primary. One of the questions on the ballot is Amendment 5, or as critics call it, the "Everything Tax." If passed, the state legislature would be charged with developing a plan to phase out and eliminate the state income tax, while also giving the state legislature the authority to bypass the Hancock Amendment in order to increase existing sales tax rates, expand sales tax to goods that are not currently taxed, and/or enact a use tax for certain services. Critics contend that even with an increase in sales and use taxes, the state will still encounter a significant revenue deficit at a time when the state's financial reserves are almost depleted. Governor Kehoe recently vetoed $53 million from the state budget, while also freezing $441 million in planned spending. This was done as Missouri's revenues were down almost 2.6% as the fiscal year ended on June 30. With revenues already declining, eliminating the income tax and the potential resulting revenue deficit could have catastrophic implications for the state, and for many of the programs and services that benefit Jackson County kids. As such, the CSF is encouraging Missouri voters to vote "No" on Amendment 5. ?

Address

2345 Grand Boulevard Ste 1450
Kansas City, MO
64108

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 4:30pm

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(816) 832-6340

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