Governor Laura Kelly Announces $6.5M in Grants for Sexual and Domestic Violence Programs, Child Advocacy Centers, CASA Programs
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced nearly $6.5 million in state grants have been awarded to continue improving services for adult and child crime survivors.
The funding comes from State General Funds and will go toward nonprofits offering counseling, shelters, the statewide language-accessible crisis line, safety planning, advocacy for sexual and domestic violence survivors, and training for community-based direct service providers.
Governor Kelly has long supported funding for violence prevention services. Last year, the Governor successfully pushed to fund Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) programs through the State General Fund to ensure stable funding for the program.
“We have a responsibility to do all we can to protect victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault,” Governor Kelly said. “These grants will strengthen our services and provide support to those who need it most.”
Children’s Advocacy Centers coordinate investigation and intervention services for abused children by bringing together professionals and agencies across disciplines. Funding ensures staff is trained in conducting sensitive forensic interviews of child abuse victims and providing advocacy services for victims and non-offending caregivers. The funds are also used to coordinate multi-disciplinary case review teams to improve services.
CASA Programs recruit, train, and support citizen volunteers to advocate in court for the best interests of abused and neglected children. Grant funds are used to train staff and volunteers to help abused and neglected children obtain a permanent and safe placement. The volunteers advocate for the best interest of a child by providing information in court to assist judges with making the most well-informed decision for each child.
2023 State General Fund for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Grant Awards
| County | Organization Name | Grant Award |
| Allen | Hope Unlimited | $150,056 |
| Barton | Family Crisis Center, Inc. | $246,190 |
| Butler | Family Life Center | $90,563 |
| Crawford | Safehouse Crisis Center | $247,189 |
| Douglas | The Sexual Trauma and Abuse Care Center | $128,597 |
| Douglas | The Willow Domestic Violence Center | $231,148 |
| Ellis | Options: Domestic & Sexual Violence Services | $212,972 |
| Finney | Family Crisis Services | $119,329 |
| Ford | Crisis Center of Dodge City | $71,010 |
| Harvey | Harvey Co. Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Task Force | $239,774 |
| Johnson | SAFEHOME | $266,975 |
| Leavenworth | Alliance Against Family Violence | $79,570 |
| Lyon | SOS | $227,666 |
| Reno | BrightHouse | $143,799 |
| Riley | Crisis Center | $394,430 |
| Saline | Domestic Violence Association of Central Kansas | $367,043 |
| Sedgwick | Catholic Charities, Harbor House | $186,413 |
| Sedgwick | StepStone | $69,672 |
| Sedgwick | Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center | $283,894 |
| Sedgwick | Wichita Family Crisis Center | $204,147 |
| Seward | Liberal Area Rape Crisis/Domestic Violence Services | $188,348 |
| Shawnee | Kansas Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence | $422,408 |
| Shawnee | YWCA Center for Safety & Empowerment | $238,421 |
| Wyandotte | Friends of Yates | $347,595 |
| Wyandotte | Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault | $174,154 |
| TOTAL | $5,331,363 |
2023 Children’s Advocacy Centers Grant Awards
| County | Organization Name | Grant Award |
| Allen | Hope Unlimited | $53,645 |
| Barton | Family Crisis Center | $62,528 |
| Butler | Sunlight Children’s Services | $50,632 |
| Cloud | North Central Kansas CASA | $14,346 |
| Crawford | Children’s Advocacy Center | $49,798 |
| Ford | Meadowlark House Child Advocacy Center | $33,808 |
| Harvey | Heart to Heart | $48,150 |
| Johnson | Sunflower House | $116,115 |
| Leavenworth | First Judicial District CASA Association | $47,117 |
| Lyon | SOS | $45,751 |
| Reno | Horizons Mental Health Center | $68,321 |
| Riley | Sunflower CASA Project | $35,984 |
| Saline | Child Advocacy and Parenting Services | $39,940 |
| Scott | Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center | $48,253 |
| Sedgwick | Child Advocacy Center of Sedgwick County | $120,879 |
| Sedgwick | Children’s Advocacy Centers of Kansas | $60,275 |
| Shawnee | LifeHouse Child Advocacy Center | $63,982 |
| TOTAL | $959,524 |
2023 Casa Grant Awards
| County | Organization Name | Grant Award |
| Allen | CASA of the 31st Judicial District | $6,881 |
| Barton | Central Kansas CASA | $7,417 |
| Bourbon | Bourbon County CASA of the 6th Judicial District | $7,384 |
| Butler | Tri-County CASA | $8,379 |
| Cloud | North Central Kansas CASA | $5,761 |
| Douglas | Douglas County CASA | $15,169 |
| Ellis | CASA of the High Plains | $5,223 |
| Finney | Spirit of the Plains CASA | $7,203 |
| Ford | CASA-Children Worth Saving | $6,554 |
| Franklin | CASA of the 4th Judicial District | $4,750 |
| Geary | CASA of the 8th Judicial District | $9,576 |
| Harvey | CASA: A Voice for Children | $6,668 |
| Johnson | CASA of Johnson and Wyandotte Counties | $38,518 |
| Leavenworth | First Judicial District CASA Association | $7,592 |
| Lyon | SOS, CASA of the Flint Hills | $10,195 |
| Phillips | CASA of the 17th Judicial District | $4,495 |
| Riley | Sunflower CASA Project | $13,746 |
| Saline | Child Advocacy and Parenting Services | $8,587 |
| Sedgwick | Roots and Wings, CASA of Sedgwick County | $15,155 |
| Shawnee | CASA of Shawnee County | $15,217 |
| TOTAL | $204,470 |
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