Month: August 2014

UG joins with Nextdoor, private social network for neighborhoods

The Unified Government of Wyandotte County-Kansas City, Kan., announced today a partnership with Nextdoor, the private social network for neighborhoods, to improve countywide and neighbor-to-neighbor communications.

This integration with Nextdoor will enable the UG’s public relations team, mayor’s office, Liveable Neighborhoods along with other departments, to build stronger, safer communities with the help of residents.

“Today, we are excited to officially partner with Nextdoor,” said Mayor Mark Holland. “Nextdoor will provide residents with more avenues to easily and effectively connect with city departments, and each other, about the things that matter most to their communities.”

Already Nextdoor has proven to be an essential and well-adopted tool for Kansas City area residents, according to the UG. To date, more than 25 neighborhoods in Kansas City, Kan., are using Nextdoor.

With Nextdoor, residents can join private neighborhood websites to share information, including neighborhood public safety issues, community events and activities, local services, and even lost pets. UG departments will be able to post information, such as important news, services, programs, public events, and emergency and safety notifications to Nextdoor websites within the city.

Nextdoor is free for residents and the UG. Each Kansas City neighborhood has its own private Nextdoor neighborhood website, accessible only to residents who verify that they live in the neighborhood. Neighborhoods establish and self-manage their own Nextdoor websites and UG departments will not be able to access residents’ websites, contact information, or content. Information shared on Nextdoor is password protected and cannot be accessed by Google or other search engines. Alternatively, residents can use a reverse address lookup to find out more about their neighbors, simply by knowing their name, phone number or email address.

Those interested in joining their neighborhood’s Nextdoor website can visit www.nextdoor.com and enter their address. If residents have questions about their Nextdoor website, visit help.nextdoor.com.

– Information from Unified Government

Agencies receive mental health grants

Several area nonprofit agencies have received mental health grants from the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City.

In all, $4.25 million was awarded in Greater Kansas City.

“HCF is committed to improving access to mental health services through strengthening systems and delivery practices. We are proud to award these agencies funds to support their efforts in providing behavioral health programs,” said Dr. Bridget McCandless, president-CEO of HCF.

Among the grant recipients:

– Associated Youth Services, $91,509, for outpatient mental health and psychiatric services for Wyandotte County youth and their families through a collaboration with the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Program at the University of Kansas School of Medicine.

– Kansas University Endowment Association, $98,975, to establish the first Primary Care Postdoctoral Fellowship for psychologists in the Kansas City area, initiate integrated behavioral health training for family medicine residents, and to place psychology interns alongside medical, nursing, and pharmacy students in the Inter-Professional Training Clinic, thereby establishing a seamless progression of integrated care training.

– PACES, $100,000, to hire two licensed mental health therapists in year one and a third therapist in year two to develop an expedited referral process to outreach parents, and to provide needed therapy or referrals to other services to benefit K-6th graders in elementary schools identified with greatest needs in the Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools; to serve as a resource to teachers and staff in these schools.

KCKCC Endowment Association announces gala award recipients

by Kelly Rogge

Kansas City Kansas Community College’s Endowment Association is gearing up for its 4.0 Gala this fall by announcing the recipients of two awards – the KCKCC Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award and the Wyandotte Countian of the Year Award.

The purpose of the Wyandotte Countian of the Year Award is to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the Wyandotte County community.

To qualify for the Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award, nominees must have either attended or graduated from Kansas City Kansas Community College.

Karen Orr, chief nursing officer at Providence Medical Center, will be awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award while former Kansas City, Kan., Mayor Joe Reardon has been chosen to receive the Wyandotte Countian of the Year Award. The two awards will be a part of the Endowment Association’s 4.0 Gala Oct. 25 at Lake Quivira.

“As Mayor-CEO (from 2005-2013), Joe guided the Unified Government through very tough economic times while at the same time, managing a significant amount of growth and investment in Wyandotte County,” said Pam Curtis in her nomination letter. “He led Wyandotte County on a continued economic renaissance with work ranging from local redevelopment to some of the most impactful work in the country.”

Reardon is currently an attorney at McAnany, Van Cleave and Phillips, specializing in development and real estate transactions. A lifelong resident of Kansas City, Kan., he and his wife Amy have two sons. Among his many accomplishments are receiving the Kansas Mayor of the Year Award in 2012; the Public Administrator of the Year 2012; the KCMBA President’s Award for Outstanding Service to the Bar, 2011 and the Community Broadband Project of the Year, 2011 Government Programming Awards. He founded the Healthy Communities Wyandotte Initiative to improve health conditions in Wyandotte County and is known for putting Kansas City, Kan., on the map as the first Google Fiber City.

Orr is a 1986 graduate of Washington High School and a 1993 graduate of KCKCC. She has a Master of Science degree in nursing and is a Certified Med Surge registered nurse. During her time at Providence Medical Center, she has developed and implemented the leadership and clinical quality at the joint and Spine Center and has been instrumental in leading staff to create an innovative pain management system. She has also developed a Student Nurse Tech Program, offering employment to nursing students who have earned their certified nurse assistant and are pursuing a RN degree. Away from her medical career, she and her husband assist with Sunday School and restore cars to enter them into competitions.

“After graduating from Washington High School, I had plans to go to KCKCC for two years for an accounting degree, and then transfer to Washburn University for a law degree. I began the accounting program and did my best to stay interested, but soon realized that I really didn’t like math all that much,” Orr said. “I began taking classes again at KCKCC, thinking that I might consider nursing someday. I graduated in December of 1993. I’ll never forget how it felt to write ‘RN’ behind my name for the first time. Had it not been for the location, flexibility, affordability and support of KCKCC, I don’t think I would have continued after the birth of my child.”

AT&T has committed to be the presenting sponsor at the 4.0 Gala. In addition to AT&T, Capitol Federal and Bank of Blue Valley have signed on as major sponsors of the event.

”We are very excited about hosting the first ever 4.0 Gala for KCKCC,” said Patrick McCartney, executive director of the Endowment Association. “Along with being a major fundraiser for much needed scholarships for students at KCKCC, we hope to make the 4.0 Gala one of the premier events in Kansas City. We anticipate selling out quickly, and we encourage people to get their reservations in a soon as possible.”

For more information about the 4.0 Gala, contact Dawanna Fangohr at 913-288-7675 or by email at [email protected].