Cornerstones of Care has been selected to participate in a project funded by an $8 million grant in an unprecedented initiative to provide mental and behavioral health services to children and families at five early education centers on both sides of the state line in metropolitan Kansas City.

The initiative, named the Early Childhood Mental Health Collective, was launched to address the growing community demand for mental health services in early childhood settings. This project recognizes the critical connection between strong mental health and kindergarten readiness, offering essential supports for both children and their caregivers.

The three-year grant is from the Anchors of Tomorrow Fund established by the Hall Family Foundation. Cornerstones of Care will be the funded partner for the project and will provide assessment, case management, counseling, and training. The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) will be a funded partner for interns as well as research and evaluation of the project’s success.

“The work funded through this grant leans into our focus on prevention and providing trauma-informed care before things become overwhelming,” said Cornerstones of Care President and CEO Merideth Rose. “It’s a natural extension of work we are doing with children and families.”

Through the grant, Cornerstones of Care will provide mental, emotional, and behavioral health services at each early-childhood center for children at the site, their parents, and caregivers. Early Childhood Program staff will be trained to identify conditions that optimize or weaken early infant and young child brain development and to recognize conditions that require the assistance of parents and service providers. Learn more and apply for these jobs.

“This is a unique collaboration among early education centers, who are partnering with private, public, and non-profit organizations to respond to the mental health needs of a vulnerable population of children and families and their caretakers,” Merideth said. “This is exactly the work Cornerstones of Care wants to do to support children and families and to build a healthier community in metropolitan Kansas City.”

Cornerstones of Care will collaborate with UMKC for interns and apprentices, and technical assistance and support, coaching, evaluation, and endorsements from the UMKC Institute for Human Development.

Cornerstones of Care also will partner with MidAmerica Nazarene University to train a cohort of mental health care providers in play therapy and provide required supervision and certification for Registered Play Therapists. MidAmerica Nazarene University agreed to create the training program for bachelor’s level mental health care providers to grow in their profession.