Discovering Wichita State’s Best Kept Secret | by Kelsey Haynes

Kelsey Haynes

I didn’t know what the Center for Community Support and Research was until I saw the opportunity for a communication intern and began researching the organization. I really think it is Wichita State’s best kept secret.  This organization does so much for communities across Kansas that it is surprising in a sense as to why it isn’t as recognized as it should be.

When I attended the first staff meeting, I was entranced by all of the different focus areas and big initiatives at CCSR. Here’s food for thought:

Little things can become big things. How’s that for a lesson learned?

A little lady with a big idea founded a small organization from the experiences she had with a small group of people with big struggles. That small organization has grown so much in 30 years that it has made a big impact on communities across Kansas that want to be better.

I only applied for this internship because I needed the public relations experience. I never knew how much I would grow as a professional and a person. I have met some of the kindest people at CCSR; people who come to work every day and appear to be glad to be here. These days, there aren’t a lot of companies that keep employees around for more than 20 years, but CCSR seems to be good at that. This organization has a story to tell and I am honored to be able to research and conduct interviews to be able to tell that story.

The purpose of the 30-year anniversary celebration is to tell the CCSR story, market the organization and celebrate the success of the community organizations it’s helped strengthen. I am only here for a semester, but I feel my internship has made this one of the best semesters of my college career.

I’ve gained a lot of knowledge and experience that will brighten my future a little more and for that, I am grateful. I can only hope the next intern has the same experience I have.

Happy Anniversary, CCSR. Cheers to another 30 years of growth and success.

Kelsey Haynes

CCSR Communication Intern

Meeting A Familiar Face | by Anthony Rodriguez

Performing my practicum at CCSR has been an eye opening experience into the public health field. Throughout the 2013 fall semester I learned an enormous amount of exciting information while interning at Wichita State’s Center for Community Support and Research (CCSR). This is my final semester before I graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Health Science from WSU.

Anthony Rodriguez in Lindsborg,
Kansas.

I am working on a public health project that CCSR has with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) with my preceptor, Sonja Armbruster, public health initiatives coordinator. Through this work, I’ve been introduced to both local and state-wide systems related to local health departments ranging from community health improvement coalition work to Medicaid billing.


In October I attended a meeting in Lindsborg, Kansas about the role hospitals play in impacting the health of the population with Sonja and Amy Delamaide, director of community and organizational development. Approximately 50 hospital executives from critical access hospitals came together to discuss challenges and opportunities related to public health and primary care integration in Kansas. This was the most informative and encouraging meeting I attended during my internship because there were so many hospital executives talking about health related issues in their communities and everyone was working together to try to find solutions.

One of the people I met who had some great integration ideas was Jeremy Armstrong, CEO at St. Luke Hospital and Living Center in Marion, Kansas. Jeremy not only caught my attention with his vast knowledge and ideas at this meeting, but he did a few weeks later when he was a guest speaker in my Health Care Organization class.

After my class I introduced myself to Jeremy and told him how I remembered him from the meeting in Lindsborg. We had a brief discussion about some of the ideas he had introduced. Also he explained to me in more detail from his guest presentation to the class, the importance of joining a health organization or coalition after graduation or, if possible, even while I am still in school.

One organization Jeremy recommended I join was the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) especially if I wanted to be in an administrative job once I graduated. A couple of reasons for joining a health organization, Jeremy mentioned, were the continuing education and networking possibilities for those in health organizations.

Meeting and having this discussion with Jeremy was just one of many great experiences I had during my practicum. It was great to have been able to meet so many new and influential people that were involved in the public health field.

This has been an amazing experience for me and I hope to continue to meet more influential people and find more familiar faces who are involved in the health field after I graduate.

Community Connections | By Tori Hoffman

Tori Hoffman observes group discussions at the KDHE
statewide chronic disease reduction plan workshop.

As my summer practicum at the Center for Community Support and Research (CCSR) comes to an end, I realize how many contacts I have made with professionals in the community, especially in the healthcare field.

I was fortunate to have the chance to work with Amy Delamaide. She served as my preceptor. My focus this summer was a project on the integration of public health and primary care in Kansas with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Through the state summit in June and several regional listening meetings, I’ve had the opportunity to meet healthcare professionals from different cities across Kansas.

Two women in particular spoke with me about the work they do: a director of a nearby county health department and another woman who is working on an infant mortality project. These connections will be helpful as I finish my undergraduate degree in Health Services Management and Community Development and graduate in August.

I met Lynnette Redington, director of Harvey County Health Department, at the state summit. I was very shy and timid. Lynnette introduced herself and told me a little bit about her role at the health department. She also asked about me and what I was interested in. She was kind, energetic, and helped me feel comfortable. I also saw her at the Wichita Regional Listening meeting where we were able to catch up. Several weeks later I was able to connect with her again and ask her about her health department’s community health assessment. It was always nice to talk with Lynnette.

A few weeks ago I met Christy Schunn, executive director of KIDSNetwork, Inc., at the Wichita Regional Listening meeting. I was in the group where she talked about the project she was working on called Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR). I instantly became interested because after taking a class in epidemiology at Wichita State University last semester I knew that Sedgwick County had an extremely high infant mortality rate, especially among African-American infants. After the meeting I contacted her and asked if we could meet and talk more about her work. We met for coffee and talked for nearly two hours. She informed me about FIMR and how it is a fairly recent project. I found out that there is a community baby shower where pregnant women can get a crib and other essentials needed for raising a baby along with helpful information and education about being a good parent. She also shared information about the proper way to care for babies. I’m glad that there is an organization that recognizes this problem in Sedgwick County and that someone who is passionate about it like Christy is trying to change that statistic.

These women have made an impact on my outlook on the healthcare field and a connection that I’m very happy that I made. I look forward to having a chance to work with them in the future!

Tori Hoffman

Public Health Practicum Student

Psychiatric survivor, book author, CCSR peer educator, Nancy Jensen

Nancy Jensen, peer educator at the Center for Community Support and Research (CCSR), recently worked with Nathan P. Swink, PhD, to publish The Girl Who Cried “Wolf!,” the heroic story of Nancy’s journey through abuse at the hands of the mental health system toward recovery and independent living. The memoir includes the year she lived at the Kaufman House, the trial where she testified against the Kaufmans, as well as her experiences with mental illness and the road toward recovery.

You may recall the trial of Arlan and Linda Kaufman which was televised from the Federal Court house in Wichita in 2005 and the re-sentencing that followed. Arlan and Linda ran Kaufman House, a mental health facility in Newton, Kansas, where residents were subject to “nude therapy,” unchecked seclusion, and forced labor. 

Kaufman House was supposed to be a progressive answer for the mentally ill during the de-institutionalization era of the ‘70s and ‘80s, but it became a house of horrors. When Nancy tried to blow the whistle, she found that no one believed her. She was the girl who cried “Wolf!”

With the help of Nancy’s testimony, a federal jury found both Arlan and Linda Kaufman guilty. Since then Nancy has worked to pass a law creating an adult protective unit at the state level, received the prestigious Voice Award, and is currently a member of the Sedgwick County Mental Health Advisory Board. 

In her position at CCSR she works with a team training Certified Peer Specialists (CPSs) employed at mental health centers across the state and delivering the state certification exam. Nancy is a certified facilitator of the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), an evidence-based, self-directed wellness tool to help people cope with stressors and deal with crisis situations.

“If it wasn’t for CCSR not only would I not be where I am in my recovery, but there would not be a book, Nancy said. “I say that because of the people who helped me make the book what it is.”

As Nancy has worked toward recovery, she continues to receive support from her family, friends and co-workers. She says that she heard about recovery and met some of the CCSR staff at the Recovery Conference in 2006. That was a pivotal time. One of those staff, WSU Psychology Professor Greg Meissen, PhD, and longtime friend, wrote the forward to the book.

Nancy Jensen, CPS

“…Nancy is a hero and a wise leader who serves as a role model for others with mental illness working with them on a daily basis,” Meissen wrote. “She is an advocate and champion for a Kansas movement to improve the lives of persons with mental illness. This is the best part of the story as Nancy persistently and courageously encourages many to work toward their recovery through her own story and how she leads her own life.”

“I see this book, hopefully opening up people, them wanting to know more about CPS, trauma informed care, and more about recovery”, said Nancy. “It opens the window of opportunity for more people especially those who suffer with mental illness or their provider to have a sense of how it worked for someone . . . me.”

After over 30 years in the system, Nancy has taken control of her mental health including eliminating medications and shifting away from Social Security-Disability in order to work full-time.

“It’s another life changing time in my life. It’s one thing to share your story face-to-face; it’s another to have it out there. It’s humbling. It’s a testament to the hard work.”

Book Signings

The Girl Who Cried “Wolf!” is available in paperback from Amazon.com. A reading and book signing will be held at Mead’s Corner, 430 East Douglass, in Wichita, Kansas, on Saturday, July 6, 2013 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. A book signed will also be held on July 25 in Newton at Pages Books & Coffee, 605 N. Main St.

For more information Nancy can be reached at nancy.jensen@wichita.edu.

How safe are you? | By Angela Gaughan

Personal safety is important at any age. I recently attended the Positive Aging: Protect Your Health, Wealth and Self conference for seniors. In addition to sharing information about our support group database (SupportGroupsInKansas.org), I also learned a few things.

 

I sat in on the Veteran’s Administration presentation, said hi to an old friend who was taking about advanced directives and learned a few things in the social networking session. At the end of the day I attended a class on personal safety and when it was over I had more tips than I could fit into this blog post. The session was facilitated by Deputy Joe Page with the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office.

 

Deputy Page shared information about a program for S.E.N.I.O.R.S. (Sheriff's Elderly/Disabled Notification Intensive Outreach Response System) where you can register your name, address, garage door code, medications, pet’s name, etc. If someone calls 911 from your address, the information is retrieved and may help emergency personal avoid kicking in your front door (a $500 expense). Your information is privately stored in a computer. https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/seniors/

 

Whether at home or at the office you may find that one or two of these tips will help you avoid being a victim of identity theft or being physically attacked:

 

HOME

• Lock your doors and windows
• Trim your bushes, thieves want to be hidden from the road
• Close your garage door and the front door of your house when you are working in the backyard
• You know what is right for your neighborhood, etc. if something looks suspicious, *call 911 and say that you have a non-emergency. If there is an officer/deputy in the area, they will stop by and check it out. That is how they catch bad guys with vans full of stolen items.
• Don't let strangers into your house--they might be looking around to see what they can come back and steal.
• Get 2-3 estimates before you have any work done on your home. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Vendors should have a local address and office phone number. Scammers target seniors (especially those who don't move very fast and can't see very well).

IDENTITY

• Buy a shredder! Shred your mail – anything with your name and address on it.
• Review your bank statement.
• Invest in a locked mailbox. Don’t have checks mailed to your house, call and arrange for direct deposit into your bank account.
• Everyone can get a free credit report each year from three credit bureaus -- space them out and request one every four months to keep an eye on your credit history.

AUTO

• Lock your car.
• Hide your valuables--don't let people see you put them in your trunk.
• Be aware of your surroundings—call 911 and report a non-emergency, if needed.

COMPUTER

• NEVER give your credit card number, PIN number, social security number, etc. over the phone. Your bank will never call and ask for this information.
• There's a new scam where the caller says that your computer has a virus or needs an update and you need to get to your computer right now and give them access. Next they put a virus on your computer, download your personal data and make it so that you have to pay to have it fixed.

Hope to see you at the conference next year. I’ll be at the black and gold booth with a basket of chocolates. Even seniors like chocolates.

 

The conference was hosted by the K-State Research and Extension, Wichita State University and the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging. It was held at the Sedgwick County Extension Education Center.

Student flies through practicum experience and contributes to marketing support group initiative | Clinton Haas

Captain's Log: Star date -309722.13, (actual star date) I am going on my eleventh week of being a student at the WSU Center for Community Support and Research, and I must say things are going great. I am currently finishing up a marketing plan for the Support Group Services Team, and it’s starting to feel like we are coming close to finishing the updating process for the 2,500 support groups in the database. Oh, I should probably describe a little about myself and why I am at CCSR in the first place.



Clinton Haas

It is now November in the year 2012; I am a college super senior (5th year) at WSU, one semester away from finishing my bachelor degree in Healthcare Management and Community Development (HMCD). To tell you the truth I am pretty jazzed! Eighteen years in school, and it is finally winding down. The beginning of the next chapter of my life is a semester away.

For this hands-on learning I heard a plethora of good recommendations for going to this place called Center for ehh… let’s just call it CCSR. (Later I learned to remember the whole name.) Here they have five pillars that branch over a wide array of health, leadership, and community assistance.  I chose to join the Support Group Services side and help with a database. Truth be told, I thought that this initiative sounded rather easy, and it would add some strength to my resume.

Little did I know that Angela, my preceptor, would have me running around with a constant list of groups I needed to research, various tasks for other staff, and even have me start a marketing plan! I was tickled pink to have the opportunity to really dive down deep and do work in which I could be a strong asset.

Through the development of the plan I was asked to help decide what type of merchandise CCSR should buy, i.e. pens, cups, and memo kits. To my dying day I will remember Joyce saying how she will only use a thin point pen and how she outright hates anything larger.

Well, here I am, with my marketing plan in the review process. Most of the groups are updated in the database minus a few stragglers and, here I am feeling like this semester has been one of the bigger learning opportunities that WSU could give me.


At a recent conference, Clinton shares information about

support groups with participants.

The relationships that I have developed here, the learning process of how to facilitate a meeting, the number of daily e-mails I send out has quadrupled. Being a college student and saying that I have actually become accustomed to waking up, being somewhere at eight a.m. and still able to function fascinates the crap out of me.

Overall, I would say that my experience here has helped prepare me for the future. It’s what I have been striving for since I was eight years old. Thanks to WSU for requiring this practicum experience to graduate and a big thanks to CCSR for having me here to receive guidance!

Class: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the student Clinton Haas. His five-year mission: to explore strange new classes, to seek out new life and new learning opportunities, to boldly go where no student has gone before.

Youth Leadership Has a New Face in Kansas | Bailey Blair

Canaan Giesen, member of Wichita YLinK

Opportunities for youth leadership are rare, but especially for young people with disabilities. We at Wichita State University’s Center for Community Support and Research are honored to have the opportunity to facilitate one such opportunity for youth with mental health concerns to practice leadership in a safe and welcoming environment. Called Youth Leadership in Kansas, or YLinK, these groups are an extraordinary example of youth coming together to support one another, to fight the stigma attached to mental illness in our community and in our world, and to advocate for themselves and others like them.

CCSR was awarded a grant from KDADS last year to provide capacity building support to these groups in order to help them further their goals.

Through biweekly meetings, quarterly conferences, and community events, these groups from across the state of Kansas are making a significant impact not only on their own lives and futures, but also for those facing similar battles in the world around them.

The photo depicts Canaan Giesen, Wichita YLinK member, bravely participating in a recent activity that was designed to enhance self-confidence to overcome obstacles and focus on one’s strengths.

For more information regarding the YLinK program, participation, or hosting a group, please contact Bailey at bailey.blair@wichita.edu.
 



Online support group research offers insight, practicum student wonders about support groups in Nigeria | Gbolahan Alex Ajisope





Gbolahan Alex Ajisope

My experience with support groups started when I joined the WSU Center for Community Support and Research as a practicum student this semester. Before I started working on the Support Group Services (SGS) team, I never thought that there were organizations or groups of people who would come together in order to comfort and support each other during difficult periods in their lives.

I find it very interesting because as simple and casual as it may look, a majority of people have been able to gain comfort from many of the support groups listed in the SGS database (supportgroupsinkansas.org). I added some new support groups to the database and also updated some of the information.


For my project I agreed to research online support groups. I wanted to experience an online support group, so I joined one. It took a while to find one where I felt I could offer legitimate conversation and gain experience. Eventually I figured out that I needed to find a support group for college students. Then it didn’t take long to sign up for a group.

I had a lot of fun with the group. I couldn’t get anyone to talk to me online throughout the week, but eventually I met a lot of students and members on Saturdays and Sundays. I think that was because students were busy with school projects, assignment and work during the week and they seem to only come online on the weekends. They came together to relax and talk about everything going on in their academic lives as well as other issues. We exchanged a lot of ideas and advice, which was really cool.

The benefits people derive from support groups cannot be overemphasized. Groups help members gain a sense of empowerment and control. They also help people reduces stress, depression, and anxiety among other things.

My overall experience with support groups have made me wonder how I can start something like this in my home country, Nigeria, and how these can be spread to as many countries as possible.

Alex was accepted into the Masters of Public Health program at the University of Oklahoma and he plans to begin in the spring of 2014.

Amy Delamaide Named BoardSource Certified Governance Trainer



Amy Delamaide

BoardSource is pleased to announce that Amy Delamaide has been named a BoardSource Certified Governance Trainer. Amy joined this select group of expert trainers after completing a rigorous application and certification process and is now certified to deliver BoardSource’s signature nonprofit governance trainings in the Midwest and Great Plains area.

For nearly 25 years, BoardSource has been supporting and promoting excellence in nonprofit board service by providing cutting-edge thinking and resources on board effectiveness and by engaging and developing the next generation of board leaders. The BoardSource Certified Governance Trainers are a select group that is proficient in board governance topics, advanced facilitation techniques, and the BoardSource training methodology.

Amy is now certified to offer governance training among nonprofit organizations in the Kansas area using BoardSource-approved curriculum in the following areas: roles and responsibilities of nonprofit boards, board-staff partnership, board structure, board’s role in fundraising, the board-building cycle, and board performance assessment.

To learn more about these trainings or schedule one, contact BoardSource at (202) 349-2587 or Amy Delamaide at (316) 978-6773.

About Amy Delamaide

As a facilitator and nonprofit consultant, Amy Delamaide is experienced in strategic planning, leadership development, nonprofit start-up, and organizational capacity-building. As a civic leadership coach, she has completed more than 80 hours of coach-specific training and coached more than 25 clients.

Amy graduated from Wellesley College with a Bachelor of Art in anthropology and French. She plans to graduate in 2014 with a Master in Public Administration with a graduate certificate in nonprofit management from the WSU Hugo Wall School of Public and Urban Affairs.

Amy Delamaide is Director of Community and Organizational Development at WSU Center for Community Support and Research.

About BoardSource

BoardSource has long recognized the critical role that boards play in overseeing their organizations’ mission, finance, and strategic direction. With nearly 25 years of hands-on experience working exclusively with nonprofit boards, BoardSource has become the go-to resource for funders, partners, and nonprofit leaders who want to magnify their impact within the community through exceptional governance practices. BoardSource supports a community of more than 60,000 individuals with customized diagnostics, in-person and virtual trainings, and original publications. BoardSource is a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, visit www.boardsource.org.

Sampling the leadership principles at the Kansas Leadership Center | By Angela Gaughan

In my position as the project lead for the support group services initiative at the Wichita State University Center for Community Support and Research (CCSR), I recently jumped at the chance to participate in one of the ‘Your Leadership Edge’ programs led by the Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) staff.

After day one of the three day program, a co-worker who is also a coach at KLC, asked me what I thought of the program. I realized later that what I told him was a canned response. Comments like, “It was great!,” “Everyone was friendly,” and “I enjoyed it.” Later, the more I thought about it, I realized a few things.

 

My main goal for participating in the program was to gain an understanding of the terms used by the KLC staff. I didn’t volunteer for a three day “program” so I could change the way I do things. Who would do that? I wanted to understand the terms like “raise the heat” and “get on the balcony.” The first article we were assigned to read labeled it as “KLC-ese.” That was my goal; to understand it. I didn’t know that I would be challenged to apply it to the work that I do.

In the last few years I became familiar with the language KLC uses. In my previous position at CCSR I typed notes from leadership meetings, copied handouts and assembled folders for various leadership projects the CCSR staff led around the state in conjunction with the KLC principles.

As I look back, I was antsy when our facilitator, Ron Alexander, was leading us though a session, Case In Point. I was uncomfortable until I realized what was happening was the lesson, and that he was purposely letting us learn from his leadership or lack of it. I observed that another participant was ‘on the balcony’ during the session. In a sense, he stepped away, removing himself from the discussion. He later admitted that he understood what was happening, and decided not to participate, but sit back and observe.

 

The session showed us the difference between authority and leadership. We agreed that leadership was an activity, not a position, and discussed the difference between the two. I came away with an understanding that people in authority don’t always exercise leadership or use it as an activity to help people make changes.

 

What I learned after one day was more than just a bunch of definitions, but the beginnings of a way to use my strengths and interests to influence and make changes in the work that I do. To name a few specific applications, I can sort challenges into technical and adaptive ones. From that I can access how to begin to tackle the adaptive challenges. By being aware of the temperature in the room I can better evaluate how to influence discussions. And finally, I can identify and diagram the factions in my work to help me take the next steps with the initiative I am working on.

 

I think that anyone who wants to better influence their community can benefit from KLCs ‘Your Leadership Edge’ program. For example, our group included a writer, a superintendent, a pastor, a professor and several community advocates, who live and work in at least six different communities in Kansas. 

 

Now, it’s time to head back for the last two sessions.

Jensen Earns Certification as Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) Trainer

Nancy Jensen has worked part time at CCSR for the last five years. This summer she was hired as a full-time peer educator who works on the Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) team.

Nancy Jensen

“In my new role I’m taking a training position rather than a logistics position. I also make sure the database on those we train is up to date,” said Jensen.

In addition, she proctors the monthly CPS exams. Recently Jensen participated in a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) training in North Carolina. WRAP is an evidence-based, self-directed wellness tool developed by the Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery to help people who have experienced emotional and psychological distress maintain their wellness, cope with internal and external stressors and deal with crisis situations.

“WRAP helps you on paper explore ways of how you are going to deal with a situation,” said Jensen. “The plan is very helpful in how you handle stress in your life or your work life, how you handle disturbing things that come up. Most of all it’s how you stay well.”

As WRAP has shown its effectiveness in the mental health field, it has been applied to other situations where people want to maintain wellness, such as diabetes and chronic pain. According to Jensen, “It’s not just for those with lived experiences of mental illness; it’s also for anyone working on any issue in their life.”

Jensen is looking forward to sharing the skills she acquired at the training with community partners and other organizations. She will lead sessions presenting WRAP to groups of consumers and clinical staff. She will also be able to provide refresher courses for those who were trained in WRAP prior to its evidence-based practice (EBP) designation, assuring fidelity to the Copeland Center model.

“After having lived experience by being in the system and having social security disability for over 20 years, this position has been a goal of mine for many years. I’m looking forward to continue to learn and serve,” said Jensen.

WSU CCSR Advisory Committee

WSU advisory members provide important guidance and support the future direction of CCSR. Individually, and collectively, they provide a wealth of information and experience that help CCSR plan an important role in WSU’s urban-serving mission. Their guidance and support is appreciated.

William Bischoff, professor, geology

Charles Burdsal, professor, psychology

Alex Chaparro, chair, psychology

Pete Cohen, dean, College of Health Professions

Kathy Coufal, chair, Communication Sciences and Disorders

Amy Drassen Ham, instructor, Public Health Sciences

Linnea Glenmaye, associate provost, Academic Affairs and Research

Doug Hensler, dean, W. Frank Barton School of Business

Sharon Iorio, dean, College of Education

Grady Landrum, director, Office of Disability Services

Rhonda Lewis, professor, psychology

Ron Matson, dean, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Teresa Radebaugh, director, Regional Institute on Aging

Nancy McCarthy-Snyder, director, Hugo Wall School of Urban & Public Affairs

William Vanderburgh, executive director, Office for Faculty Development and Student Success

“Wichita State is not just a university in a city, it’s a university of the city—and no organization better reflects that position than the Center for Community Support and Research. CCSR’s assistance to government agencies, nonprofits and community coalitions helps organizations better fulfill their missions so that they can chart the course for a bright future in Wichita.” 

 - Dr. Bardo, president, Wichita State University

YLinK: Building Leadership Peer-to-Peer | By Sam Demel

YLinK participants come together and translate their thoughts
and ideas into pictures and words to create a Mandala.

The mission of CCSR’s Youth Leadership in Kansas (YLinK) program, supported by a grant funded through the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS), is to provide youth-led, peer-to-peer groups in which youth with mental health concerns may establish leadership, advocacy and communication skills. In addition, YLinK helps participants improve family and peer relations, improve school engagement and performance and prepare for the transition to adulthood.

“YLinK to me means understanding, acceptance and family. YLinK is the one place I can go where it is perfectly okay to be myself,” said Katherine, age 14.

Currently, six YLinK groups are operating throughout the state; program staff from CCSR make quarterly visits to each site, providing technical support, education and training. These groups also participated in a two-day conference for YLinK members and their families in June, and an enhanced leadership training session for those in leadership positions. Feedback from these programs was positive and reflected the change youth have expressed they wish to see in their communities.

A portion of a Mandala that YLinK participants created
during a Leadership Retreat in August.

“Leadership for youth is important; they are community leaders, not just youth leaders,” said one parent of a YLinK participant.

In the future, CCSR intends to establish five additional YLinK sites across the state, as well as a curriculum for youth engagement and leadership developed by CCSR program staff. For further information on YLinK programs, contact Sam Demel at samuel.demel@wichita.edu or 316-978-6474.

Fibromyalgia patient finds comfort in starting a support group | By Candace Diemart

When community volunteer Rebecca McKanna was in need of a fibromyalgia support group she checked a variety of community resources, one of which was the online support group database coordinated by the Center for Community Support and Research (CCSR) and funded through an initiative by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. The database is one of the longest listings in the United States with over 2,000 community support groups, national organizations and websites. Groups on the list cover a wide range of topics, some of which include medical conditions, parenting, caregiving, grief and a variety of other topics.

“I just needed one,” said McKanna. “My family didn’t want to hear about it anymore. I prayed about it and when I couldn’t find a group, I decided I needed to start my own.” 
 
McKanna held her first meeting in April. Only one other person came, but subsequent meetings have grown with as many as 16 people in attendance.

“Because of this group, I feel less crazy, less doubtful and a huge sense of relief. It’s wonderful being able to talk to people who know your struggles,” said McKanna.

Support groups are a responsible, cost-effective and practical means for people coping with life crises and health issues. Most groups are available free of charge and are led by peers. People who have been through similar circumstances not only sympathize, they know where others are coming from and can show that they are not alone.

CCSR recently updated the support group database and McKanna’s fibromyalgia group is a welcomed addition. The database can be found at www.supportgroupsinkansas.org.

For information on the support group services project, contact Angela Gaughan at angela.gaughan@wichita.edu or 316-978-5496.