Cornerstones of Care is proud to share we have officially been re-certified as a Sanctuary Model organization and our Kansas foster care team has received its initial Sanctuary certification.

This is a powerful affirmation of our continued commitment to creating a trauma-informed environment for everyone we serve and for one another.

We’re pleased to report that not only did we pass—we passed with flying colors. One of the reviewers from the sanctuary institute who completed our on-site review, Sanctuary Adjunct Faculty Consultant Pamela Harper, said, “[Cornerstones of Care] is a role model for the entire [Sanctuary] network…you excelled in every area of the assessment.”

Cornerstones of Care’s Sanctuary Team celebrates with their sanctuary reviewers moments after finding out they received re-certification.

The Sanctuary Model is more than just a certification to Cornerstones of Care. It’s the foundation of how we care for others and how we care for each other. At its core, Sanctuary helps organizations like ours become safer, more supportive places. It gives us a shared language and framework to understand trauma, respond to stress, and build resilience in both us and in the children and families we serve.

The process for re-certification is rigorous and comprehensive, requiring months of preparation and organization-wide participation. Over several days, the Sanctuary Institute evaluation team met with an assortment of staff from all levels of the organization, families receiving support across a range of therapeutic services, youth from our residential schools, and teens in our programs including Build Trybe and Pathways. They reviewed documentation we spent months preparing to demonstrate how Sanctuary is woven into our day-to-day operations, toured our three campuses, sat in on meetings, and listened closely to how we live out the Sanctuary Model in our daily work.

In the final review, the Sanctuary review team summarized their findings: “There’s a reason you’re at the top of the bell curve. People [feel] cared for and listened to…like they can be who they are in the workplace, and trust others.”

This trust runs both ways, as evidenced by a comment made by Sophie Bingos during one of the re-certification focus groups. Sophie, a Foster Care Case Management Specialist in Missouri, gave a small but powerful example of how our trauma-informed values are embedded in policies that prioritize staff well-being and mutual respect: “The unlimited PTO policy offered by the company is an extension of their trust of us.”

Kansas’ certification and the organization’s re-certification wasn’t just a review of policies and procedures—it was a reflection of who we are. It captured the voices of our team, the stories of our growth, and the values we hold at the heart of our work.

Dane Sosniecki, Grant Specialist and the lead on assembling the re-certification documentation, shared: “Being certified as a trauma-informed organization by the Sanctuary Institute is a vital part of who we are. It shapes our culture and the way we care for the children and families we serve. It was a pleasure to contribute to the recertification process and help ensure that we continue to foster a safe, supportive environment not just for our clients, but for one another.”

One of the most powerful moments during our focus groups came when Allen Goold, a Clinical Manager for one of our Functional Family Therapy teams, reflected on the experience of working here. With a smile, he said, “It’s a strange place to work.” Strange, in the best way—because it’s a place where people feel heard, valued, and supported. Cornerstones of Care’s commitment to the principles of Sanctuary are not just posted on the wall—they are present in all we do.

When the comment was repeated later in the Sanctuary Closing Session, knowing laughter broke out across the room. In a field that can be emotionally demanding, it’s not typical to find a workplace where staff feel consistently safe, respected, and connected. But that’s what Sanctuary helps us create.

The Sanctuary Model shapes more than our services. It shapes our relationships with each other. It gives us tools to process stress, speak honestly, and build trust across teams. That’s part of why so many staff shared during the review that they feel deeply proud to work at Cornerstones of Care. Sanctuary isn’t just something we do, it’s part of who we are.

Lesa Chandler, Guide to the Sanctuary Circle, explained that the model equips us with real tools: “It helps us to be aware of when toxic stress is having an impact on the organization and gives us tools to address it. It gives us the language to talk about sensitive things in a normal way, without shame or blame.”

Being re-certified is more than an internal milestone—it matters because it strengthens everything we do for children and families. Sanctuary gives us a shared foundation for how we respond to trauma, build resilience, and walk alongside people through some of the hardest moments in their lives.

It also matters because it affirms our commitment to doing this work together. Whether someone is a case manager, a therapist, a foster parent, or part of our support staff, we all play a role in creating safe, healing-centered spaces. Sanctuary helps us stay grounded in that shared purpose.

And as Lesa Chandler stated, “While we aren’t perfect, our recertification shows that we are committed to our aspirations to being a really trauma-responsive community that promotes healing and growth.”

At its heart, this model is about people. It’s about creating an environment where staff and clients alike can show up fully, feel safe, and begin to heal. That’s what we work toward every day and what this re-certification helps make possible.

We’re grateful to every person who helped make this re-certification possible, from our staff to our clients to the foster parents we work with to the youth in our programs. Living out the Sanctuary Model takes commitment and care, and we see those values in action across our organization every day.

If you’d like to learn more about Sanctuary or get involved in our mission, consider working with us or volunteering with us.

Thank you for being part of our community.