By Sara Wiercinski
Center School District kicked off this academic year with a new, trauma-informed mental health pilot program conducted in partnership with Children’s Mercy and Blue Cross Blue Shield. The goal: to create school communities that enhance the mental wellbeing for students and provide mental health resources before a full-on crisis occurs.
After just one semester, seven out of Center’s eight schools have seen a reduction in office discipline referrals.
The Center pilot is one of 14 projects under Children’s Mercy’s five-year Illuminate Plan, which aims to improve mental health among area youth through a variety of strategies, including investing in research and expanding availability of specialty services.
“Right now there’s a national mental health provider shortage, and in Missouri especially,” said Emily Thorpe, Manager of School Health Initiatives for Children’s Mercy. “Because we don’t have the resources to provide 1:1 therapy for each child, we look to the schools–where kids spend the most time.”
The program rolled out during the summer, with teacher training on restorative practices through RestoreEd, a consulting group made up of two former teachers who also ran the Restorative Justice Department in the Kansas City Public School District. Emphasis is placed on the classroom as a community, with tools for direct communication, conflict resolution and building trust.
“It’s about accountability and repair, not shame,” said Thorpe.
In addition to training in restorative practices, Children’s Mercy conducted a full needs assessment identifying other potential district-wide improvements. These led to creation of behavior committees within the schools and family engagement initiatives.
Renee Black, who is the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Coordinator for Center Schools, worked with teachers and administrators to implement the changes.
“Suspending doesn’t work. It does not change behavior,” she said. “When someone messes up, you don’t kick them out of the community.”
Black said that the restorative training allows teachers to see that student behavior is not personal, and to have multiple alternatives to using office referrals and suspensions.
“You can’t talk about behavior without talking about the brain. We are changing the question from ‘What’s wrong with you?’ to “What happened to you?”
Children’s Mercy works with Black and other school administrators to analyze behavioral data through the MTSS framework, which identifies student needs and identifies solutions for support.
“What’s great about the partnership is that we are working at systems level,” said Black. “Children’s Mercy helped us set up processes and policies that make these practices stick.”
Children’s Mercy selected Center School District for its small size, serving 2,560 students at eight school buildings. Center is also diverse: 61% of students are African American, 11% are Hispanic and 12% are multiracial. 68% of students qualify for free and reduced meals.
“We felt it was important to start small and serve people who may have more difficulty accessing mental and behavioral health resources,” said Thorpe. “By moving upstream, we can prevent mental health breakdowns.”
The Illuminate Plan strives to bring equity to the mental health crisis by focusing on the most vulnerable populations. “Dr. Cargyle is a clear advocate for her staff and families in the community she serves,” said Thorpe. “She is someone who would ensure that whatever we’re building, we’re building in partnership and equitably.”
Initial surveys show that students enjoy the community building activities and feel more connected to their schools. Black said that teachers tell her that they feel more connected to their colleagues as well.
All involved expect to see improvement as the program continues. The pilot runs through June 2026.
“We are so excited to be in south KC, which we know is a desert for mental health resources,” said Thorpe. “It’s been an incredible partnership, with Center willing to iterate with us and figure out what works.”
The Illuminate Plan is funded through $120 million in donations. Learn more at childrensmercy.org/illuminate.