Kansas City University (KCU) has received a $410,000, two-year grant from the Children’s Services Fund (CSF) of Jackson County to expand school-based mental health services for Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) students, strengthening early access to care and building resilience for children and families across Kansas City.
Through the School Mental Health Partnership within the Center for Population Health and Equity (CPHE), six KCU clinical psychology students will provide individual and group school-based therapy services under the supervision of a KCU licensed clinical psychologist. Services will enhance each student’s overall mental health and well-being by fostering measurable growth in emotional regulation, stress management, problem solving and forming healthy relationships.
“This project is designed to build lifelong wellness by fostering resilience, emotional development and stronger mental health in and outside of the classroom,” said Catherine Satterwhite, PhD, MSPH, MPH, executive director of the CPHE at KCU. “It also provides meaningful training for our clinical psychology students as they learn to deliver evidence-based care in real school settings, preparing them to meet growing community mental health needs.”
The initiative will support students in kindergarten through 12th grade, with emphasis on early intervention in grades K–3 to strengthen foundational social and emotional development and those who face significant barriers to care, such as transportation, scheduling and cost.
The program is expected to serve at least 200 KCPS students in its first year during the 2026-2027 academic year.
This partnership launched in 2024 with a $50,000 gift from the Hall Family Foundation. Initially, KCU clinical psychology students supported KCPS elementary schools by conducting psychoeducational assessments and interviews to better understand student needs.
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