News - Our Stories

Wyandot BHN Hosts Staff Appreciation Event

Nearly 200 Wyandot BHN staff and board members gathered in the Shield Club at Children’s Mercy Park on September 8 for an evening of recognition and celebration. The event marked the end of an exciting year for Wyandot BHN, during which WBHN achieved designation as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC).

Wyandot BHN Withdraws from Downtown Education, Health & Wellness Campus Campaign

For the past couple of years, Wyandot Behavioral Health Network has been an active partner along with Kansas City Kansas Community College, Swope Health, CommunityAmerica Credit Union and the YMCA to build a new education, health and wellness campus in downtown Kansas City, Kansas. The goal is to establish a self-sustaining economic solution for downtown Kansas City, Kansas, to help end the social and economic inequities that have prevailed in this area for decades.

Wyandot BHN recently made the difficult decision to withdraw from this effort and pursue other options for establishing a service location in eastern Wyandotte County.

A Community Approach to Addressing Trauma

At the heart of Alive & Thrive Wyandotte County is a simple concept: provide grassroots communities with tools, resources and support so they can build a more resilient and trauma-informed community.

In May, Alive & Thrive, a project administered by Wyandot BHN, held a virtual Mid-Year Summit to advance that work. The half-day event brought together residents, organizations and Alive & Thrive staff to further articulate plans for community projects that promote resilience in Wyandotte County—especially in communities that experience the effects of generational trauma.

Increasing Mental Health Awareness Through Art

A group of community artists from across the Kansas City metro came together during Mental Health Awareness Month with one goal in mind: to start a conversation about mental health.

988 Lifeline Launches July 16

On July 16, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline launched in Kansas and across the U.S. In June, Governor Laura Kelly signed a bill to provide funding and regulation for the hotline. 988 is specifically designed to be used in instances where a person is experiencing a behavioral health or substance use crisis.

Wyandot BHN Becomes a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic

On Sunday, May 1, Wyandot Behavioral Health Network became a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). Wyandot BHN is one of the first six community mental health centers in the state of Kansas to achieve this designation.

Service Update: March 10, 2022

In the interest of the safety of our consumers & staff, Wyandot BHN is moving all outpatient and community-based clinical services to telehealth on Thursday, March 10. All 24/7 and crisis services will remain open.

Overcoming Pandemic Re-entry Anxiety

It has been almost two years since the COVID-19 pandemic turned our lives upside-down. We’ve missed out on family gatherings and dinners with friends. Attending concerts and sporting events have become a distant memory. And we’ve missed out on a host of milestone moments, including graduations and the births of grandbabies.

Now that the Omicron surge appears to be slowing down, we are once again faced with decisions about how and when to resume normal activities and routines. If this transition is leading to feelings of anxiety rather than excitement, you are not alone.

Remembering a Passionate Mental Health Advocate

Our Wyandot family is mourning the loss of Rita Hoag, a longtime mental health advocate who served as Chairperson of our Western Wyandotte Advisory Council for 15 years. Rita passed away in January after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.

Wyandot BHN to Become Smoke-Free Campus

Over the past several months, we have been working toward a greater integration of physical and behavioral health care. Because as a health care provider, we are concerned about a person’s overall health – not just their mental health. As we begin 2022, we are taking another step toward caring for the whole person – by helping them quit smoking.

Wyandot BHN Honors Unified Government & Health Department with Community Partner Award

Each year, Wyandot BHN presents the Zevenbergen Community Partner Award to a valued community partner in recognition of their efforts to promote a healthier and stronger community. This year, the award was presented to the Unified Government of Wyandotte County & Kansas City, Kansas and the UG Public Health Department.

October 11 is National Coming Out Day

Some of the most significant events in the lives of LGBTQIA+ individuals are when they decide to talk to friends and loved ones about their sexual orientation or gender identity.  We often refer to these events as “coming out,” or in years past, “coming out of the closet.” Indeed, October 11th is recognized as Coming Out Day, designed to commemorate and celebrate these brave and vulnerable moments.