Center for Community Support and Research turning 30

The Center for Community Support and Research (CCSR) exemplifies the mission of Wichita State University to be an essential educational, cultural and economic driver for Kansas and the greater public good, and this month marks its 30th anniversary.

The CCSR helps strengthen nonprofits, government agencies, community coalitions, health departments and other Kansas organizations. It is one of the largest centers at WSU and recognized nationally for its efforts in leadership, organizational capacity building, community collaboration and applied research. 

The CCSR, located in downtown Wichita at Third Street and Main, has more than 45 full and part-time staff who work to transfer best practices and evidence-based strategies from across academic disciplines to more than 100 partner organizations in Kansas communities and beyond.

And all of this started from one woman’s kitchen table.

History

In 1984, a local social worker named Evelyn Middlestadt, who served families and children involved in adoption and foster care, became familiar with the difficulties of parents with special needs kids. Challenges in those families were common and heartbreaking for Middlestadt, say colleagues, because the parents often turned to her with their burdens.

That’s when she decided to connect those parents and form a self-help support group so they could talk about their issues and provide comfort and understanding to one another.

Her idea grew and became The Self-Help Network of Kansas. Eventually, Evelyn connected with Greg Meissen, WSU professor of psychology, and the Self-Help Network moved to the Wichita State campus, where the group served as a statewide clearinghouse for more than 2,000 local and national self-help groups and organizations. 

As the Self-Help Network matured, its purpose expanded. Under the leadership of Meissen, the organization began involving WSU students and operated as a center for research, working with a growing number of nonprofits and community coalitions.

In 2005, having exceeded the space available on campus, the center relocated to its downtown location. It became involved in an ever-evolving number of projects and initiatives, including working with mental health consumer-run organizations, faith-based organizations, leadership development programs and other civic groups. The Self-Help Network changed its name to the Center for Community Support and Research to better reflect the diversity of its work.

Wituk

Looking forward

Middlestadt’s legacy is something CCSR Executive Director Scott Wituk has embraced.  Wituk has been involved with the CCSR for 20 years, and succeeds Meissen in its leadership.

“While much has been accomplished, CCSR and its Kansas partners have much more to do,” said Wituk. “Recently, we’ve made new connections with health departments across the state, which I think has great potential.”

In recognition of the center’s work and anniversary, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback declared January “Support Group Awareness Month.” Wituk, however, is focused on pushing forward.

“We are looking for new ways to enhance student involvement at CCSR,” he said. “We want to connect more students from across disciplines with CCSR’s staff to develop and implement creative and innovative approaches to address community and organizational problems and challenges.

With its 30 year history, connections across the state and interdisciplinary staff, CCSR represents one of the flagship centers that will make WSU recognized as a leader in applied learning and research.”

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Contact: Angela Gaughan, CCSR project specialist, 316-978-5496 or angela.gaughan@wichita.edu.

 The Center for Community Support and Research, http://www.wichita.edu/ccsr.

Support groups available in most counties In Kansas | Angela Gaughan, MA

In Kansas, more than 900 local support groups meet in most Kansas counties. Groups gather around a variety of topics. Some topics include:  medical conditions, parenting, addiction, mental health, caregiving, grief, disabilities and other topics.

The Wichita State Center for Community Support and Research staff maintains an online database, www.SupportGroupsInKansas.org that contains contact information for local support groups as well as 1,300 national organizations and websites that provide information on a broad range of topics.

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback proclaimed January as Support Group Awareness Month in a signing ceremony on Friday, Dec. 20, in Topeka. As stated in the proclamation, support groups have been recognized nationally and internationally as an efficient, practical, cost-effective means of coping with life crises and physical and mental health care concerns.

"Support groups pool the experiences of many in order to answer questions, build community and allow an outlet for the many forms of stress and strain," said Michael Johnston, family caregiver coordinator, SouthWest Kansas Area Agency on Aging. "They help us to stand together despite circumstances which would otherwise overcome us."

Another benefit to attending a support groups is an opportunity to participate in nonjudgmental environment.

“The first time a parent walked into my office with tears running down her cheek saying she didn't have any place to go and she had a secret she couldn't tell everyone,” said Brian Sutton, Wichita chapter president of Parents Families and Friends of Lesbian and Gays (PFLAG), “Then looking at me and saying ‘My son is gay and I don't know what to do,’ I knew how important it was for PFLAG to be here in Wichita.”

In Overland Park, Paige Gerson facilitates a bipolar/depression support group in conjunction with the Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance.  

Gerson said, “We are very excited that individuals who have bipolar or depression, which are real chronic illnesses, will now be able to obtain medical insurance, whereas they have not been able to in the past.”

Often, support group participants become leaders of the same group or organization where they found personal recovery and healing. 

“Belonging to the Survivors of Suicide group in Wichita has made a critical difference in my grief and healing,” said Jim Yoder, co-facilitator of the Survivors of Suicide Support Group in Wichita. “It allowed me to understand that my pain and questions weren't out of the ordinary for a survivor.  It also allowed me a safe place to connect with others who have suffered similar loss. I highly recommend that anyone wanting to learn and understand more about dealing with loss should consider joining a support group.” 

The CCSR’s online database is available at www.SupportGroupsInKansas.org. For those without Internet access, help is available by calling 1-800-445-0116 or 316-978-3843 in Kansas or emailing SupportGroups@wichita.edu.

Development of a Health Home Learning Collaborative in Kansas | Scott Wituk, PhD

A team from CCSR is working closely with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and other Kansas Health Home partners to explore the possibility of a learning collaborative as part of the implementation of Health Homes in the Kansas Medicaid system. Health homes are an integrated service delivery approach to those on Medicaid. Kansas is seeking two state plan amendments to begin implementing Health Homes in Kansas starting July 1.

Other states that have included learning collaborative as part of their Health Home efforts.  Health home learning collaboratives often include opportunities for health home partners and other stakeholders to connect on key issues related to the implementation of health homes. These opportunities include webinars, face-to-face meetings, phone conferences, and regional or topical meetings. Health home learning collaboratives serve as an opportunity to build the capacity of health home partners and connect participants to other resources and opportunities. 

CCSR’s exploration includes two primary components: 

First, CCSR staff are contacting other states who have started health home learning collaboratives to assist in improving the implementation of health homes.

Second, CCSR staff are interviewing 25 Kansas key stakeholders who are involved in the development and implementation of health homes in Kansas. The interviews explore possible formats, topics, and structure for a Kansas health home learning collaborative. Notes from other states and local stakeholders will be analyzed by CCSR staff to determine common themes or ideas related to health home implementation and the development of a health home learning collaborative in Kansas, expected to start July 1.

For more information about health homes go to http://www.kancare.ks.gov/health_home.htm.  For additional information about the learning collaborative, please contact Scott Wituk, CCSR executive director, at scott.wituk@wichita.edu or (316) 978-3327.