Center for Public Partnerships & Research

Over 50,000 registered learners! 🧡 From Kansas to the coasts, the Institute is strengthening home visiting nationwide. CPPR is a key partner in the development and continued technical support of the Institute, making career advancement more accessible for family support professionals.

Our IRIS team recently met with the Social Determinants of Health Connections Workgroup, a nationwide community dedicated to creating effective pathways to connect people with resources to address health-related social needs. Members of our CPPR IRIS team, as well as IRIS champions from our Kansas and Illinois networks, shared firsthand experiences and insights into growing connected, thriving communities that ensure families receive the services they need when they need them. Thank you Mandi LaRue, Mandy Kreps, Alexandra Schweitzer, and Shauna Batcheller for the valuable conversation. 🌱 connectwithiris.org today! Regional Office of Education #26 Helpline Center

"As of October, the accelerator grant had helped create 5,101 new licensed child care slots statewide, according to an impact report by the University of Kansas Center for Public Partnerships & Research. Of those new slots, 30% were for infants, defined as children under 18 months old. The grant helped hire 802 staff members, and the state reports that in many cases the funding supported higher wages."

Looking forward to attending the Illinois IASB-IASA-IASBO Joint Annual Conference in Chicago this week. This conference brings together school board members, superintendents, and business officials from across Illinois for focused learning, training, and networking. I’ll be wearing “two hats” this year—one as a school board member and one representing CPPR’s IRIS team as I look for new connections and opportunities to expand our work supporting coordinated referral systems. If you’ll be there, I’d love to connect! #JointAnnualConference #IASB #IllinoisEducation #CommunityEngagement #IRIS #CPPR

We regularly travel around Kansas seeking feedback from community members about their experiences so that we can better inform projects and assessments at CPPR. Every conversation is different because every community is different. The common thread is a profound desire to build a stronger, more connected Kansas, starting at the local level. CPPR's Kaleena Erwin, LMSW, CPM and Meghan Cizek, pictured below, enjoyed moderating the November 14th Foundations of Family Well-Being: A Community Conversation event in Kansas City that brought together area partners, professionals, and residents to explore what helps families thrive and how many sectors of a community can contribute to that future. Thank you to all who attended and shared. All of your insights and expertise are valued and vital for Kansas' future! This event was hosted with support from the Kansas Children's Cabinet, Cornerstones of Care, Kansas Department For Children and Families, KVC Health Systems, and DCCCA.

PSI Kansas in partnership with Kansas Connecting Communities (KCC) is planning for our 2026 Webinar Series! KCC is a part of the Mental Health Consultation and Resource Network, a collaborative of two psychiatric access programs in Kansas. We are actively looking for speakers to present a webinar/training on the following topic areas: January 14- Perimenopause/Hormones/PMDD March 11- Neurodiversity (Advanced - 2 hour) May 13- Mom Rage (1 hour) July 8 - Birth Trauma (Advanced - 2 hour) August 12- Medications (1 hour) September 9th - SI/Self Harm Screening in the Perinatal Period (Advanced - 2 hour) If selected to present, we offer $500/$1000 stipends to our speakers for their time and expertise! If you are interested, please fill out this form to give us a little bit more information about your presentation and contact information for us to collaborate on a proposal. https://lnkd.in/gPCuZhmr

Managing perinatal behavioral health disorders can be complex and challenging. Led by clinical experts, the Kansas Moms in Mind Consultation Clinics offer physicians and clinicians an opportunity to connect with peers and strengthen their knowledge of medical management for psychiatric disorders during the perinatal period. Each session features a didactic and collaborative case discussion. 📲 Our December 9th clinic is just around the corner AND all 2026 dates are set! Register now at bit.ly/43hO3fA. Participants can register for the full series or attend individual sessions as schedules allow. Free continuing education hours are available.

Great ideas aren’t limited by geography, opportunity shouldn’t be either. The ACCEL-KS program provides proof-of-concept funding to help rural innovators move from idea to impact. Whether it’s a university researcher, a small business owner, or a first-time founder, this program can provide the boost needed to test and grow new solutions. If you know someone working on a big idea in rural Kansas, share this opportunity with them today. More details at https://lnkd.in/gfaz_s92 #RootedinRural #ACCELKS

Over 70,000 families have been referred to needed services through IRIS. Dedicated providers and champions ensure that the number continues to grow. We ensure that they have the support necessary to plan, launch, scale, and adapt to local needs. IRIS offers in-house expert assistance, extensive implementation tools, HIPAA compliance, and meaningful data reporting. 🌱 Ready to grow a network in your community? Let’s build something powerful together. connectwithiris.org today!

Dedicated community efforts are increasing opportunities for families across Kansas. Congratulations to McPherson and Marion counties on the addition of 17 infant slots and 18 toddler slots for area families. ⭐ We're proud to support the work of the Kansas Children's Cabinet as administrator of Kansas' PDG B-5 award and awed by the efforts transforming the child care landscape across the state.