Excelsior Springs, Mo. — Two local programs in Excelsior Springs have been awarded $5,000 each through the Northland Coalition’s mini-grant program, which distributes opioid settlement funds allocated by the Clay County Commission. The funding will support mental health and youth engagement programs designed to reduce risk factors associated with youth substance use.
Excelsior Springs Hospital’s Psychiatric Services Department received one of the grants to enhance its outpatient care for children and adolescents ages 5 to 15. The funding will be used to purchase therapeutic toys, art supplies, sensory tools, and group activity kits that support evidence-based, trauma-informed treatment.
“This grant project seeks funding to purchase play therapy and group therapy supplies,” the hospital’s project summary explained. “Providing developmentally appropriate early therapeutic interventions, such as play and group therapy, is a substance use prevention strategy. By addressing the childhood and adolescent mental health needs that often precede substance use, the patterns of generational substance use and trauma can be disrupted.”
The program serves children referred for psychiatric care who experience adverse childhood experiences, including poverty, abuse, neglect, or a family history of substance misuse.
Excelsior Springs SAFE, a local coalition dedicated to youth prevention, will utilize its grant to support the Possibility Project, a student-led prevention club at Excelsior Springs High School.
“Possibility Project is a club that works to increase the overall positive school culture at ESHS, students’ connection to school, and students’ resilience,” the SAFE coalition stated. “These are protective factors that help protect against youth substance use.”
With the grant, the club will host a series of events during school and expand its programming to include service projects and off-campus activities. Past events have included music-filled lunchroom activities with snacks and interactive themes focused on topics like goal setting and stress relief. One activity, titled “How Full Is Your Cup?”, helped students identify healthy ways to cope when feeling overwhelmed.
The grant will also support Excelsior Springs student participation in the Northland Youth Leadership Summit this fall, connecting local teens with youth leaders across the region.
The Excelsior Springs programs are two of five selected throughout Clay County. Other recipients include Liberty Alliance for Youth, North Kansas City Hospital’s Growing Futures garden initiative, and Smithville Community in Action’s school-based prevention curriculum.
“It is a privilege for the Northland Coalition to partner with local groups to ensure our youth have the knowledge and support they need to avoid the pitfalls of opioid or other substance misuse,” said Dusty Scheiter, president of the Northland Coalition.
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