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February 17, 2000 - Connect Kansas: Supporting Communities That Care subject of February 29th meeting in Pratt for residents of seven central Kansas counties
Residents of the 33rd Senate District of Kansas, which includes the counties of Barton, Stafford, Pratt, Barber, Comanche, Harper, and Kingman, are invited to a public meeting in Pratt on February 29 to hear about a project that emphasizes prevention and greater community involvement in helping children.
The meeting concerns Connect Kansas: Supporting Communities That Care, a program that allows communities to craft their own solutions in solving and preventing problems for children. The meeting will be held at the Student Conference Center of Pratt Community College, 384 Northeast Highway 61 , Pratt. It will take place from 10 a.m. until noon.
Under Connect Kansas, the state provides important data to communities to help communities determine their priorities for helping children grow. The goal of the program is to shift away from funding systems and programs and begin supporting real community conversations about the healthy development of children. The program builds upon years of research and is similar to a project in Vermont that brought about remarkable drops in child abuse, teen pregnancy, and juvenile crime.
Andrew O’Donovan, special assistant for prevention under Department of Social and Rehabilitation Secretary Janet Schalansky, will lead discussion about Connect Kansas at the meeting. Also attending the meeting will be representatives from three Regional Prevention Centers and a representative from the Kansas State University Extension office. Three SRS Area Directors, Dale Barnum from Garden City, Gary Nelson from Hutchinson, and Gene Dawson from Hays will also participate.
O’Donovan has been active in building research to help determine what places children and young people at risk and what protects them from these risks, an important tool in Connect Kansas. O’Donovan will also have with him data and planning guides for each of the counties in the 33rd Senate District, which will be given to those attending the public meeting.
"Connect Kansas supports a broad-based community planning process," O’Donovan said. "We want to create and support environments for children to become healthy and contributing members of Kansas communities."
Page Last Updated: May 29, 2001