News - Our Stories

This week, Wyandot Behavioral Health Network learned it has received a 3-year reaccreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). CARF is an international organization that sets standards for mental health and other rehabilitation services. Wyandot BHN received its initial 3-year accreditation in March 2020. 

In addition to the individual, group and family services we provide, Wyandot BHN also oversees a program dedicated to building a trauma-informed and resilient community. Called Alive & Thrive, the program works to raise awareness about trauma and what communities can do to help heal from it. Their work is critical, especially in Wyandotte County, where poverty, systemic racism, and relatively high rates of crime expose many people, especially children, to chronic stress—a key contributor to the county’s poor health and behavioral health outcomes.

Nearly 200 Wyandot BHN staff and board members gathered in the Shield Club at Children’s Mercy Park on September 8 for an evening of recognition and celebration. The event marked the end of an exciting year for Wyandot BHN, during which WBHN achieved designation as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC).

At the heart of Alive & Thrive Wyandotte County is a simple concept: provide grassroots communities with tools, resources and support so they can build a more resilient and trauma-informed community.

In May, Alive & Thrive, a project administered by Wyandot BHN, held a virtual Mid-Year Summit to advance that work. The half-day event brought together residents, organizations and Alive & Thrive staff to further articulate plans for community projects that promote resilience in Wyandotte County—especially in communities that experience the effects of generational trauma.

On July 16, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline launched in Kansas and across the U.S. In June, Governor Laura Kelly signed a bill to provide funding and regulation for the hotline. 988 is specifically designed to be used in instances where a person is experiencing a behavioral health or substance use crisis.