Everyone deserves a safe place to call home. But safe and affordable housing is out of reach for too many people in Wyandotte County. Without a home, it is nearly impossible for someone to focus on caring for other needs, including their health, employment and important relationships.
We believe housing is the foundation of good health. And as a behavioral health care provider, we are acutely aware of the importance of housing for the people we serve. For an individual living with a mental illness, a safe home gives them something to build off of. It can put them on the path toward recovery and allow them to focus on their health. That is why for years we have offered a number of housing services – from homeless outreach to helping people find safe, affordable housing and providing the support needed to help them be successful in housing.
Up until recently, our housing services were split between Wyandot Center and Kim Wilson Housing. However, we have now merged all of our housing services under the Kim Wilson Housing umbrella. We believe this change will allow us to provide an integrated continuum of housing and mental health services for individuals who are homeless and living with a mental illness.
I am also excited to announce Rachel Erpelding as the new Executive Director of Kim Wilson Housing. While Rachel is new to this role, she has been an integral part of our network for several years, serving most recently as the Senior Director of Housing and Employment for Wyandot Center.
We believe this merging of services puts us in a better position to respond to the evolving housing needs of this community. And we are continuing to explore new ways to meet this growing need. We hope to work in partnership with the community to create additional opportunities for supported housing for the most vulnerable individuals in Wyandotte County.