Kansas Department For Children and Families

Mark your calendars for Sept. 25 for a DCF Hiring Event at the Wichita Workforce Center. We are looking for compassionate individuals ready to make a difference in their communities and want to work, believe and thrive with us! Explore positions, discover DCF as a workplace and fill out an application with the potential of being interviewed on the spot. Lots of job opportunities await you at DCF and we can’t wait to show you what it means to work, believe and thrive with us!

In our Kansas City region, DCF hosts community resource forums to bring community partners and family service providers all to one place to review data, discuss prevention, and most importantly, network and learn about one another’s work and resources. Last week, community partners met in Johnson County for the third forum this year. Eight local service providers were chosen to present and provide information on their services for other partners in attendance. By collaborating in this way, Kansas City area resources and family serving agencies are able to connect intentionally in better efforts to surround Kansas City area families with support and provide the specific resources that each family needs. One final Kansas City community resource forum is scheduled for Wyandotte County in October. 

Thank you, stakeholders, for joining us in Lawrence this morning to talk about DCF objectives, review recent data points and recap the 2024 legislative session. Attendees heard from Secretary Laura Howard, Tanya Keys, Deputy Secretary of Family Services, Dan Lewien, Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Secretary of Operations and David Arnold, Kansas City Interim Regional Director. This meeting’s morning wrapped up Stakeholder Meetings for this year and we are thankful for the meaningful discussions we were able to have in Topeka, Pittsburg and Lawrence this summer. Recent updates from our agency include: · The number of children in foster care statewide is down 24% since 2019, with our lowest total of children in care in SFY 2024. Additionally, 200 more children exited foster care than entered in this same fiscal year. · Family First Prevention Services continues to provide resources to help keep families together while ensuring all family members feel supported and safe. Since the program began in 2019, almost 6,000 referrals have been made to the program and 90% of children and youth who have reached 12 months from the time of service remain together at home – without the need for foster care. · Summer EBT, a new program to help families with eligible children offset the cost of food during the summer by providing a one-time $120 payment for each eligible child, recently wrapped up its automatic payments. Families who did not automatically receive the one-time benefit but believe their child or children qualify can access a link to apply now through Sept. 11 at: https://lnkd.in/gWnbKVni · The Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) received nearly 47,000 applications in the 2024 season that ended in March with an average benefit of $645. · DCF child support services launched an online application for child support in April and has since received over 700 online applications with 50% being completed in less than an hour. · A few notable laws that went into effect on July 1 included SOUL Family Legal Permanency (HB 2536) that allows youth in care who are 16 years old or older to choose a supportive circle of trusted adults without having to sever legal ties with biological family and siblings; the Protect Vulnerable Adults from Exploitation Act (HB 2562) that adds brokers/dealers and investment advisors to the list of those required to report instances of financial exploitation; and Kathy’s Bill, requiring hiring managers of state government positions to offer an interview to persons with disabilities who meet the qualifications of the position. · DCF was allocated a little over $972 million for its budget last year to continue providing assistance programs, prevention and protection services, child support services and rehabilitation services for Kansans. You can review the Stakeholder Meeting Presentations from this year here: https://lnkd.in/geUmPh8i

Don’t forget! Tomorrow at 10 a.m. is our 2024 Stakeholder Meeting in Lawrence at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. Join us in-person to hear directly from DCF leadership as this event will NOT be live streamed. See you tomorrow!

You have one more day to submit 2026 budget suggestions by sending an email to DCF.budget@ks.gov. Make sure to get your recommendations in now to help us shape next year’s budget!

Join us next Thursday for a 2024 Stakeholder Meeting in Lawrence and learn about DCF’s programs, budget and an overview of the 2024 legislative session. As a reminder, this event will NOT be live streamed, so mark your calendars now to join us in-person!

A big thanks to everyone who joined us in Pittsburg on Tuesday for our Stakeholder Meeting to discuss DCF objectives, review recent data points and recap the 2024 legislative session. Stakeholders heard from Secretary Laura Howard, Deputy Secretary of Family Services Tanya Keys, Chief Financial Officer, Deputy Secretary of Operations Dan Lewien and Southeast Regional Director Anita Cooper. We would like to offer a special thank you to the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas for hosting the event. If you missed out on this Stakeholder Meeting, you can still join us at the Douglas County Fairgrounds on Aug. 22.

Don’t forget! Tomorrow is the first of two Stakeholder Meetings this month, giving you the opportunity to hear directly from DCF leadership. Join us in-person (this event will not be live-streamed) at the John Parolo Education Center in Pittsburg tomorrow at 2:30 p.m.

Over the past couple of years, DCF’s Personnel Services has been hard at work trying to reach Kansans in need of employment and helping them to join our mission. Harry Carper, recruitment manager, along with DCF regional staff, participate statewide in recruiting and talking with prospective employees about what it means to work, believe and thrive at DCF. The hiring team’s’ goal is to attend as many career and resource fairs as possible. So far this year, the team has attended about 30 career fairs including ones sponsored by Step Up, KANSASWORKS, workforce centers and local colleges and universities. Coming up, you’ll see them at the Capitol for a statewide hiring event as well as at some Step Up Job Fairs. “It gives us a chance to reach out to them on a personal level,” said Harry as he shared about his love of face-to-face interaction with job seekers. Harry says that job seekers can expect being welcomed with a smile, honesty and transparency about the work at DCF, as well as an all-around good energy. Positions are often available statewide and for many roles including protection specialists, human services specialists, vocational rehabilitation specialists and Pre-Employment Services counselors. If you or someone you know is interested in working, believing and thriving with DCF, learn more at: https://lnkd.in/gvfFZDty #WorkBelieveThrivewithDCF

The DCF Summer Stakeholder meetings continue in Lawrence. If you aren’t able to attend the Aug. 13 meeting in Pittsburg, mark Aug. 22 on your calendar! Join us in Lawrence at the Douglas County Fairgrounds for updates on the agency’s programs, budget and an overview of the 2024 legislative session. This event will NOT be live streamed, so join us in-person for agency updates and conversation!