CORNERSTONES OF CARE

THE FOSTER CARE PROGRAM PROVIDED SERVICES IN CASS, JACKSON, BOONE, COLE, RANDOLPH AND HOWARD COUNTIES IN MISSOURI.CORNERSTONES IMPROVES CHILD SAFETY AND WELLNESS OF ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN UNDER THE CARE OF THE CHILDREN'S DIVISION. ADDITIONALLY, CORNERSTONES FINDS PERMANENT HOMES FOR THESE CHILDREN.SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO CHILDREN OF ALL ETHNICITIES, IN THE PARENT'S HOME, RELATIVE HOME, KINSHIP HOME, FOSTER HOME, ADOPTIVE HOME, RESIDENTIAL SETTING, AS WELL AS GROUP HOME SETTINGS.CORNERSTONES REMEDIES THE EFFECTS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT, AND PREVENTS FUTURE ABUSE AND NEGLECT, BY PARTNERING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE THERAPY, PARENT EDUCATION, SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT, CRISIS INTERVENTION, CHILD EDUCATION, AND BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION.OUTCOMES:91.6% OF CHILDREN WILL NOT RE-ENTER CARE32% OF CHILDREN WILL REACH PERMANENCY99.68% OF CHILDREN WILL NOT HAVE A CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT REPORT WHILE IN CUSTODY.THE CORNERSTONES OF CARE KANSAS FOSTER CARE PROGRAM PROVIDES FOSTER CARE, REINTEGRATION, AND ADOPTION CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO 741 CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN WYANDOTTE, LEAVENWORTH AND ATCHISON COUNTIES. THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE PERMANENCY SERVICES AND SUPPORTS THAT FOCUS ON REUNIFYING FAMILIES IN A SAFE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT. WHEN REINTEGRATION IS NOT VIABLE OUR FOCUS BECOMES CREATING HEALTHY AND LASTING CONNECTIONS FOR CHILDREN WITH KIN OR THROUGH ADOPTION.THESE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO DIVERSE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN VARIOUS SETTINGS INCLUDING THE PARENT'S HOME, RELATIVE OR KINSHIP HOME AND FOSTER OR ADOPTIVE HOME. CORNERSTONES OF CARE USES A TRAUMA-INFORMED APPROACH TO PREVENT FUTURE ABUSE AND NEGLECT THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS THAT PROVIDE THERAPY, PARENT EDUCATION, SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT, CRISIS INTERVENTION, CHILD EDUCATION AND BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION TO ULTIMATELY REDUCE THE TIME CHILDREN SPEND IN CARE.

THE THERAPEUTIC SCHOOL OPTIONS WITHIN CORNERSTONES OF CARE ARE GILLIS (K-8) AND OZANAM (9-12). THESE SCHOOLS PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL AND THERAPEUTIC SERVICES TO 110 STUDENTS WHO ARE ON AN INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN. THESE STUDENTS ARE CONTRACTUALLY PLACED BY OVER 32 PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND 10 CHARTER SCHOOLS. WHILE STUDENTS ARE IN OUR CARE, NOT ONLY DO WE EDUCATE THEM IN CORE SUBJECT AREAS SUCH AS MATH, SCIENCE, READING, LANGUAGE ARTS, AND SOCIAL STUDIES. THE STUDENTS ARE ALSO EXPOSED TO A VARIETY OF ELECTIVE CLASSES SUCH AS PHYSICAL EDUCATION, ART, MUSIC, AND HORTICULTURE. THE CLASSROOMS ARE SELF-CONTAINED AND SUPPORTED BY ADDITIONAL STAFF AS WELL AS THE CLASSROOM TEACHER. EACH STUDENT IS ASSIGNED A THERAPIST, AND THEY RECEIVE 30 MINUTES OF INDIVIDUAL THERAPY AS WELL AS GROUP THERAPY PER WEEK.BUILD TRYBE, IS A CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION TEAM AND IS A MENTORSHIP COMMUNITY THAT BUILDS HEALTH AND INDEPENDENCE BY EMPOWERING YOUTH WITH EMPLOYABLE SKILLS. IT IS A BRIDGE CONNECTING YOUTH, WHO LACK A STABLE SUPPORT SYSTEM, TO OPPORTUNITY. OUR TEAM OF TRADE EXPERTS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS CONNECT YOUTH TO THREE SKILL-BASED CAREER PATHS: CULINARY, CONSTRUCTION, AND LANDSCAPE. THE STUDENTS SUPPORTED COME FROM KANSAS FOSTER, MISSOURI FOSTER, AND DAY TREATMENT SCHOOLS AS WELL AS OUTSIDE PARTNER AGENCIES.A PROGRAM OF CORNERSTONES OF CARE, BIST PROVIDES TRAINING AND SUPPORT TO TEACHERS, PARENTS, AND ADMINISTRATORS IN PRE-K TO 12TH-GRADE PUBLIC, PRIVATE, CHARTER, AND PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS IN SUBURBAN, URBAN, AND RURAL SETTINGS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. WITH SERVICES AND TRAINING FOR INDIVIDUALS, TEAMS, OR ENTIRE FACULTIES TAILORED SPECIFICALLY FOR EACH SCHOOL AND OR DISTRICTS, BIST CAN HELP STAFF AND FAMILIES BECOME MORE TRAUMA-INFORMED FOR THE STUDENTS AND CHILDREN THEY SERVE. AFTER AN INITIAL MEETING AND IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS WITH THE CONSULTANTS, THEY WILL HOST A TRAINING TO GIVE THE ENTIRE STAFF A FEEL FOR THE BIST PHILOSOPHY AND PROGRAM. THE CONSULTANTS WILL RECOMMEND A PLAN OF ACTION TO MEET THE DESIRED GOALS. BIST IN-HOME SERVICES ARE ALSO PROVIDED, WHICH CAN HELP PARENTS FIND NEW WAYS TO CONNECT WITH CHILDREN WHOM THEY HAVE PREVIOUSLY FOUND DIFFICULT. A BIST CONSULTANT MAKES REGULARLY SCHEDULED IN-HOME OR VIRTUAL VISITS TO DEVELOP A TAILORED PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THE CHILD'S AND FAMILY'S NEEDS. THE PARENT WILL LEARN STRATEGIES TO TEACH/MODEL AND LEARN HOW TO PROBLEM-SOLVE WITH THEIR CHILDREN.