News

Julie Brewer to Step Down as Executive Director of UCS The UCS Board of Directors would like to share that Executive Director Julie Brewer will retire from her role with UCS on July 21st of this year. After seven years of dedicated service to our organization and the Johnson County community, Julie has decided to begin a new chapter in her life. Julie’s commitment to excellence, collaboration, and inclusivity has been instrumental in advancing the mission of our organization. During her tenure, UCS has grown its funding, staffing and organizational capacity to take on more initiatives and projects to help ...

In This Issue: Editorial: How to Show Up for Racial Equity Systems Change Executive Summary of Racial Equity in Communities (REIC) Pilot Feasibility Study for Johnson County Non-Congregant Shelter Response Kansas Homeowner Assistance Fund in Hold Phase U.S. Census Bureau is Hiring Congrats to the Chiefs from UCS Staff Editorial: How to Show Up for Racial Equity Systems Change By Robert Johnson Disproportionate Minority Contact Coordinator Johnson County Department of Corrections In the past few years, I’ve spent a great deal of time exploring Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB). One of the most impactful experiences I had was being a ...

Black History Month: Past, Present, and Future This Black History Month, we recognize the past, present, and future of Black representation in Johnson County. Out of a history of residential segregation that built the suburbs, today more than 27,770 Black people call Johnson County home. The Johnson County landscape was drawn in the early-20th century when federally sanctioned segregation in home loans and housing choice restricted Black families from building wealth through home ownership, and seeking better opportunities for their children through quality public education. Those patterns of segregation remain written on the landscape, as seen on this 2019 map ...

It Starts with Us In today’s world, it is more important than ever to get to know our neighbors and build strong connections with them. We need to start conversations and engage in civil discourse, even if we disagree on certain topics. It Starts With Us - by getting to know our neighbors and engaging in meaningful dialogue, we can create stronger relationships that will benefit all of us. Knowing our neighbors allows us to understand each other better, which leads to more productive conversations and a healthier community. What would it look like for each of us to take ...

Preparing for the 2023 Legislative Session in Kansas Legislators returned to Topeka this week to kick off the Kansas Legislative Session. While there are many issues on the table for this session, UCS is particularly interested in policies, programs, and services that invest in the health and wellbeing of our community and provide people the opportunity to achieve their full potential. UCS urges legislators to support a Family First approach to meet the needs for a quality workforce through investment in Kansans and health equity. The UCS Public Policy Platform outlines priority policy issues for the 2023 legislative session. The ...

UCS 2022 Annual Meeting is a reminder that “It Starts With Us” More than 130 community members gathered at Johnson County Community College on December 2nd for the 2022 UCS Annual Meeting, where the theme was It Starts with Us. The event was an opportunity to celebrate community, reflect on UCS’ accomplishments and partnerships, and honor the contributions of our Human Service Awards winners. UCS also welcomed new board members and thanked departing board members for their service to the UCS mission. Participants listened as UCS board members, staff, and community partners shared program successes and highlights from 2022, which ...

UCS Hosts Kansas Public Policy Forum and Completes Family First Policy Series Yesterday, UCS convened community members, policymakers, agency partners, and funders for the annual Kansas Public Policy Forum, sponsored by REACH Healthcare Foundation and United Way of Greater Kansas City. The event marked the official release of the UCS 2023 Public Policy Platform outlining priority policy issues for the 2023 legislative session. The forum was an opportunity to highlight the policy issues that support a healthy community and a ready workforce, with particular emphasis on issues affecting Kansas women. A detailed summary of the Forum will be available ahead ...

Safety Net Impact on Family Stabilization: Observations from Service Providers By Kristy Baughman, UCS Director of Education and Planning Irene Caudillo President and CEO El Centro, Inc. Linda Gallgher Strategic Initiatives Administrator Kansas City Region of the Kansas Department for Children and Families As UCS explored the importance and the impact of safety net resources for the Family First research series, we wanted to hear from partners in our community with experience as service providers. I recently had the opportunity to sit down for a discussion about safety net services that help stabilize families with Irene Caudillo, President and Chief Executive ...

RSVP to the Kansas Public Policy Forum by December 6 ...

Support UCS on Giving Tuesday Today is #GivingTuesday, a global day of generosity, and it’s the perfect day to consider a donation to UCS at https://tinyurl.com/DonateUCS. Your donation will help UCS continue its mission of strengthening the health and human service delivery system. This year, UCS’ work has included: Convening collaborations such as: The Transitional Age Youth Project to address issues impacting at-risk youth in Johnson County. The Johnson County Health Equity Network that is working with the cities, county, and multi-sector stakeholders to create a community response to the health equity issues of attainable and sustainable housing choice. Working ...