Johnson County Mental Health Center has been awarded a $200,000 Kansas Fights Addiction grant to support parents and families and address the root causes of substance use. The grant will allow the organization to continue its Strengthening Families Program and implement a new parenting education curriculum.

The Johnson County Board of County Commissioners voted Thursday to accept the grant, which was awarded by the State of Kansas.

“Research shows that strong parenting skills and family connections are among the most effective protective factors against substance use,” said Sierra Wright, Community Prevention Manager at Johnson County Mental Health Center. “This funding will allow us to equip more parents and caregivers with the tools they need to build positive relationships, strengthen communication and, ultimately, reduce the risk of substance use in our community.”

The grant will support evidence-based programs covering key parenting topics, including conflict resolution, healthy communication strategies, preparing for electronic device and social media use, supporting a child experiencing a mental health crisis and substance use prevention.

Johnson County Mental Health Center has offered the Strengthening Families Program for over 12 years, serving nearly 150 families in that time. The program includes structured lessons, interactive exercises and real-time feedback, which allows parents and children to practice the communication and conflict resolution skills they learn in a safe and supportive environment. With this grant, more families than ever will have access to the program in 2025.

JCMHC has also been working to develop and implement a new parenting education curriculum for parents with children ages 5 to 17. Each week, parents who participate will work with a mental health professional on a single topic, helping them develop skills to better communicate with their children and address problem behaviors that arise. The nine-week class will be offered virtually, and the grant funds will help over 50 parents participate in the class in 2025.

Both programs connect to a helpful parenting resource that is also supported by the grant funds. In partnership with the Raised with Love and Limits Foundation, Johnson County Mental Health Center began offering Behavior Checker to clients and community members last year. The tool helps parents search over 150 common behavioral issues experienced by children and connects them immediately with evidence-based approaches to addressing those behaviors. Over 6,000 people have accessed Behavior Checker through JCMHC’s unique link to the tool, jcmhc.behaviorchecker.com. The grant will ensure this valuable resource remains available through 2025.

“Many families struggle with maintaining open communication and managing behavior issues. We’re hopeful these programs will help parents feel empowered and resilient, which will improve outcomes for them and their children,” said Wright.

Passed by the Kansas Legislature in 2021, the Kansas Fights Addiction Act directs funds recovered by the Kansas Attorney General’s Office through opioid-related legal settlements with pharmaceutical companies, distributors and related firms to be used to support the prevention and treatment of substance use disorder through the Kansas Fights Addiction Grant Program. The program is administered by the Sunflower Foundation.

This is the second Kansas Fights Addiction grant awarded to Johnson County Mental Health Center in 2025. In January, the Board of County Commissioners accepted a $300,000 grant for JCMHC to expand comprehensive, integrated care for uninsured and underinsured Johnson County residents with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental illnesses.