The Topeka City Council will be the scene of a kick-off community meeting on February 29 for a project aimed at strengthening communities in becoming places where children are safe, connected to others, and supported by concerned, involved, and responsible adults.

Connect Kansas: Supporting Communities That Care, is a project that allows communities to craft their own solutions to solve and prevent problems for children. Under the program, the state provides important data about the health of the community and its children. Communities can use this data to determine local priorities for helping children grow.

The meeting takes place in the City Council Chambers of City Hall beginning at 7 p.m. In announcing the meeting, Mayor Joan Wagnon issued a resolution proclaiming February 29 as ‘Connect Kansas Day’ in Topeka. Shawnee County Commissioner Ted Ensly also issued a resolution proclaiming February 29 as ‘Connect Kansas’ Day.

Senator Alicia Salisbury, R-Topeka, will welcome those in attendance and a series of speakers will work to explain Connect Kansas. Kansas senators have been leading similar meetings across the state to promote the program as a way to support the healthy development of children – community by community and neighborhood by neighborhood.

This program builds on years of research and is similar to a project in Vermont that brought about remarkable drops in child abuse, teen pregnancy, and juvenile crime. This research identifies what places children and young people at risk and also identifies what protects them from those risks.

A Connect Kansas data and planning guide for Shawnee County will be provided those in attendance. The meeting will also be televised on public access cable television (channel 4). Viewers will have the opportunity to call in questions about Connect Kansas.

Andrew O’Donovan, a special assistant on prevention to Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) Secretary Janet Schalansky, and Robena Farrell, Topeka Area Director for SRS, will provide an overview of Connect Kansasl District Judge James Buchele, a member of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet, will explain how Connect Kansas fits in with the work being done by the Cabinet.

Max Wilson, with the Shawnee County Regional Prevention Center, will go through the data that has been collected concerning the well-being of children in Shawnee County and Dr. George Thompson, director of the Juvenile Corrections Advisory Board for Shawnee County and director of resident psychiatry at the Menninger’s Foundation, will also speak.

The Children, Youth and Family Community Planning Team in Shawnee County will play an important role in Connect Kansas, said SRS Area Director Farrell. The planning team is convened by County Commissioner Ensly, Mayor Wagnon, Juvenile Court Judge Daniel Mitchell, and United Way of Topeka Director Nancy Perry.

"Shawnee County is fortunate to have the planning team in place that will provide the framework for Connect Kansas," Farrell said.

Page Last Updated: May 29, 2001