Holistic Expansion of Mental Health, Substance Use Treatment, and Community Support

Introduction

SENT Inc has secured a total of $474,870 through multiple grants to support and expand its integrated approach to community transformation in Southeast Topeka. With these funds, SENT is creatively layering mental health, substance use disorder treatment, prevention programming, and wraparound services through partnerships with local schools, community organizations, and service providers. Below is a comprehensive overview of how SENT is leveraging these resources and partnerships to drive sustainable change.

Total Grants Breakdown

  • Kansas Fights Addiction RFP 3 (Treatment Grant): $250,000
  • Kansas Fights Addiction RFP 4 (Prevention Grant): $200,000
  • 2025 City of Topeka Social Service Grant: $21,870
  • DCCCA Grant (MAT and Transportation): $3,000

Total Amount: $474,870

Programs and Strategic Use of Funds

1. Kansas Fights Addiction RFP 3 ($250,000 – Treatment Grant)

This grant focuses on expanding treatment services for substance use disorders (SUD) through:

  • Community outreach: Outreach specialists to engage the community and connect individuals to treatment. to engage the community and connect individuals to treatment.
  • Case management and wraparound services: Providing comprehensive support for clients, including job training and housing assistance.
  • Social media campaigns: Reducing stigma around mental health and addiction treatment, encouraging more individuals to seek help.
  • Partnership with PARS (Prevention and Recovery Services): Ensuring the community is well informed on matters around substance use in various forms.
  • Bus passes: SENT will provide bus passes for clients living along bus routes to access medical, mental health, SUD, and neighbor advocacy appointments.
  • Lyft and Uber services: Clients not on a bus route but within a 10-mile radius will be provided with Lyft and Uber services.
  • People mover transportation: Once operational, SENT will schedule rides for clients within a 5-mile radius, further addressing transportation barriers.
  • MAT and MOUD services: This grant enables SENT to offer Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) and Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) at the Southside Wellness Clinic, providing critical support for those seeking recovery.

2. Kansas Fights Addiction RFP 4 ($200,000 – Prevention Grant)

Through this grant, SENT is implementing its Campus Connections program in partnership with Fellowship Hi-Crest and local schools (Ross Elementary, Eisenhower Middle School, and Highland Park High School) to address prevention through:

  • Mentoring and counseling: Led by Brail Watson, offering guidance and social-emotional development to students. Key collaborators include Dr. Tara Wallace of Lighthouse TCO, Greg Lombard Rea of Adoption Friend, Nathan Voss of KCSL, Trisha Osier-Duvall (SENT’s Community Health Advocate), Jesse Duvall, who will lead role-play activities to enhance social and emotional learning, and Deana Lesher of Pediatric Connections, providing additional therapeutic insights.
  • Creative therapeutic programs: Including music therapy, yoga, and Making Sense of Your Worth (MSOYW) groups.
  • TBRI professional development: Training teachers to use trauma-informed approaches to regulate classroom stress.
  • Art and music interventions: Using creative methods to help students build resilience and emotional stability.

3. 2025 City of Topeka Social Service Grant ($21,870 – Mental Health Services)

This grant supports SENT’s Creative Expressions program and other mental health services, which provide:

  • Weekly art therapy sessions for at-risk youth, helping them process emotions and develop coping mechanisms.
  • On-site and off-site licensed mental health therapy for individuals and families, including structured group services and developmental programs. This involves:
    • Group Service: $6,000 allocated to support Greg Lombard Rea leading four groups (two MSOYW sessions and two parenting sessions).
    • Professional Development: $2,500 dedicated to training new therapists in EMDR, supervision charges for Tricia McCourt, and required CEUs for licensure.
    • In-Home consultation: Greg Lombard Rea to provide parenting coaching and in-home nurture groups.
    • Case management and wraparound services, connecting families to housing, food support, and employment programs.

4. DCCCA Grant ($3,000 – MAT and Transportation)

The DCCCA grant is divided into:

  • $1,500 for Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) and Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD): Expanding and affordability access to addiction treatment through the Southside Wellness Clinic.
  • $1,500 for transportation support: Ensuring clients can access services via a people mover, Uber, and bus passes.

Key Programs and Partnerships

Work In Process

This interactive program blends live music, expert knowledge, and personal stories to fight the stigma around mental health. Key components include:

  • Mini-concerts: Led by Brail Watson, these concerts integrate music with lessons on emotional regulation using MNRI, TBRI, and CBT techniques.
  • Teacher professional development: Training in TBRI techniques to help manage classroom stress and improve teacher retention.
  • Targeted intervention classes: For students needing additional support to reintegrate into the general school population.
  • Work In Process manual: A resource booklet for students to document their triggers and coping strategies.

Campus Connections

  • Mentoring and Counseling: Providing in-school support, referrals, and social-emotional learning.
  • Creative Therapy: Music, art, and yoga are used to help students build emotional resilience.
  • Wraparound Support: Case managers coordinate services to ensure students and families have access to necessary resources.

Creative Expressions Program

  • Weekly art therapy group sessions: Designed for at-risk youth to process emotions and build social-emotional skills.
  • Social and family support: Families receive case management and access to SENT’s holistic programming, including food security, housing, and job placement.

Key Partners and Their Roles

  • Fellowship Hi-Crest (FHC): Provides space, administrative support, and program collaboration.
  • Ross Elementary, Eisenhower Middle School, and Highland Park High School: Host the Campus Connections and Work In Process programs, supporting prevention and intervention efforts.
  • PARS (Prevention and Recovery Services): Facilitates referrals for substance use treatment while also providing education, training, and support for substance-use and prevention in the schools.
  • Local Therapists and Subject-Matter Experts: Deliver specialized interventions, including trauma-informed care and social-emotional learning programs.
  • Topeka Public Schools: Collaborate on mental health awareness and academic support initiatives.
  • City of Topeka: Provides financial support through the Social Service Grant, ensuring expanded access to mental health services.

Measurable Outcomes

  • Reduced behavior referrals: Fewer disciplinary actions through early intervention and improved emotional regulation.
  • Increased teacher retention: Enhanced staff morale through stress management training.
  • Improved mental health assessments: Positive outcomes measured through SRSS and student/teacher evaluations.
  • Academic improvement: Gains on state and district-wide assessments like CAP, MAP, and Fastbridge fluency tests.
  • Expanded access to addiction treatment: Increased participation in MAT and MOUD programs.

Conclusion

With $474,870 in funding and a network of strategic partners, SENT Inc. is creating an innovative and sustainable model for community support. By layering mental health interventions, substance use treatment, and preventive programs, SENT is transforming the Hi-Crest neighborhood and Southeast Topeka, ensuring long-term, holistic development and well-being.

Translate »
Skip to content