We build child & family well-being by advocating for innovative public policy solutions in the Family Well-Being System.

Our most recent successes? In 2024, we supported the passage of SOUL Family Legal Permanency to give older youth in care another option to find their families. In 2023, we worked with partnered with many throughout the state to address challenges of youth who are dually involved in foster care and in juvenile justice. The result was the passage of HB2021. In 2022, Kansas legislators added over $10 million to the state budget to support retention and recruitment bonuses for the Kansas family well-being workforce and to support innovations for youth with complex needs.

 

Our Family Well-Being Agenda

 

The Children’s Alliance works in a nonpartisan manner to identify and implement common-sense solutions benefiting children and families in the Family Well-Being System. We serve as a resource to policymakers and partners to create pragmatic, effective system improvements for families.

Keep up to date on Kansas Legislative news! Sign up & receive our Public Policy Newsletter.

 

2025 Advocacy Priorities

Children’s Alliance will be at the Kansas Statehouse throughout this legislative session, advocating for positive changes to support children and families throughout the state. Below, we’ve outlined a few of the issues that are front and center for us and for our members.

  • Access to Clinical and Support Services – Support availability of standard outpatient therapy services to address the mental and behavioral health needs of Kansas families. Expand in-home, child-focused skill building and support services, including mental health and telehealth service access, targeted case management, attendant care, and behavioral interventions for families.

  • Build Community Services and Access to Prevention Supports – Expand community pathways and prevention supports, including expanding availability of in-home services to prevent family separation and the need for out-of-home placements.

  • Juvenile Offenders and Crossover Youth – Expand services to meet specialized needs of juvenile offenders, who are entering foster care due to a lack of community-based alternatives

  • Prevent Foster Care – Ensure families receive guidance and resources they need to stay together safely and prevent the need for foster care through peer support programs.

  • Congregate Care Support – Enhance supports for residential caregivers serving children placed in foster care, including kin families, foster parents, and congregate care providers. Increase supports for those providing daily care for youth with the most complex behavioral health needs.

  • Judicial Practices and Family Separation Prevention – Support legislation to improve judicial practices to prevent the entry of youth into foster care without appropriate assessments and services from DCF.

  • Insurance Crisis – Address the insurance crisis facing Kansas residential providers. Insurance rates are out of control and coverage is ending, leading to a precarious situation for those providing care for youth with behavioral health needs.

We elevate the voice of lived experience by bringing real-world voices from working alongside children and families to the Kansas Statehouse. We combine research and policy analysis with our agency expertise to offer practical solutions for lawmakers and state agencies.

 

Our Impact

Get involved

  • Connect with us

    During Kansas legislative session, the Alliance shares public policy updates to ensure our members and partners are informed of legislative developments that may impact child and family well-being in Kansas. Subscribe below! We also share advocacy news on Facebook, Twitter and Linked In.

  • Join us

    Member agencies, their leaders and their employees have extensive opportunities to get involved in advocacy around emerging issues. Head over to our Networking page to learn more about joining the Alliance to build stronger systems for children and families.

  • Learn with us

    We provide a quality macro social work practicum for social work students that begins in the fall semester of each year. Alongside our students, we offer an advocacy learning track for emerging leaders of member agencies. Our practicum slots for 2022-2023 are full, but consider applying for next year!