News - Our Stories

Letting Art Do the Talking

A brave group of artists from across Kansas City used their talents to get people talking during Mental Health Awareness Month.

Wyandot BHN Receives 3-Year CARF Accreditation

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. 

Wyandot Behavioral Health Network Celebrates 70th Anniversary

Wyandot Behavioral Health Network (BHN), a nonprofit providing comprehensive behavioral health and housing services to children, adults and families in Wyandotte County, is celebrating 70 years of service to the community on Thursday, April 6.

Taking a Grassroots Approach to Healing Trauma

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.

Continuing Conversations Around Suicide Prevention

Suicide Prevention Month may be behind us, but the conversation can’t stop when September ends. A new public perception poll shows that while most adults would try to help if someone close to them was thinking about suicide, nearly two-thirds of those surveyed believe they aren’t equipped to talk about suicide with someone who is struggling.

Wyandot BHN Hosts Staff Appreciation Event

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).

Wyandot BHN Withdraws from Downtown Education, Health & Wellness Campus Campaign

For the past couple of years, Wyandot Behavioral Health Network has been an active partner along with Kansas City Kansas Community College, Swope Health, CommunityAmerica Credit Union and the YMCA to build a new education, health and wellness campus in downtown Kansas City, Kansas. The goal is to establish a self-sustaining economic solution for downtown Kansas City, Kansas, to help end the social and economic inequities that have prevailed in this area for decades.

Wyandot BHN recently made the difficult decision to withdraw from this effort and pursue other options for establishing a service location in eastern Wyandotte County.

A Community Approach to Addressing Trauma

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.

Increasing Mental Health Awareness Through Art

A group of community artists from across the Kansas City metro came together during Mental Health Awareness Month with one goal in mind: to start a conversation about mental health.

988 Lifeline Launches July 16

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.

Wyandot BHN Becomes a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic

On Sunday, May 1, Wyandot Behavioral Health Network became a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). Wyandot BHN is one of the first six community mental health centers in the state of Kansas to achieve this designation.

Service Update: March 10, 2022

In the interest of the safety of our consumers & staff, Wyandot BHN is moving all outpatient and community-based clinical services to telehealth on Thursday, March 10. All 24/7 and crisis services will remain open.