Social Work Scoop

Thank you for viewing my social work newsletter! I will use this newsletter throughout the year to share resources and supports that may be available to you and your family. I will keep it as accurate and up-to-date as possible, but please don't hesitate to reach out to me with any questions, clarifications, or for more specific resources.

Keely Hansen, LMSW

English Landing Elementary Social Worker

Park Hill School District

(816) 359-6760

hansenk@parkhill.k12.mo.us

As the weather gets colder, we want all English Landing students to be prepared. If your student(s) need winter gear such as coats, hats, and gloves, please contact Mrs. Hansen for assistance at (816) 359-6760 or HansenK@parkhill.k12.mo.us.

The Park Hill School District PTA runs a clothing center that provides free, gently used clothing for all students in need. They are open the following days in December for shopping, December 3rd, and December 17th from 10am-12pm and 5pm-7pm. The clothing center often stocks new and gently used coats, winter boots, hats, gloves, and scarves in addition to clothing items, socks, and underwear.

Reminder- please check your email for further information on available holiday resources in our community. If you have further questions or need additional information, please contact Mrs. Hansen via phone or email.

English Landing Elementary maintains a small food pantry with shelf-stable items for students and families in immediate need of food resources. Please contact Mrs. Hansen to inquire about food pantry items or for referrals to community resources.

Families who think they might qualify for free or reduced meals should apply for these benefits. You MUST reapply for these benefits each year.

If your child is eligible for free and reduced meal benefits and you apply, you may also be eligible to receive additional benefits like fee reductions, activity scholarships, free screenings, school supplies, and more.

More information and the online application for free and reduced meals can be found on the Park Hill website: https://www.parkhill.k12.mo.us/families/nutrition-services/family-benefits or at the QR code attached.

The clothing center is a FREE service provided by the PTAs in cooperation with the Park Hill School District. Each student receives new and lightly used clothing along with new socks and underwear. Each student must provide proof of registration for the current year. This could be a class schedule, student ID, or a letter from your school social worker.

No appointments necessary!

The clothing center is located at 8009 North Atkins Place, Kansas City, MO 64152 (behind Gerner Family Early Education Center).

Please see the below Clothing Center Schedule for the 2024-2025 school year.

You can also check their Facebook page and find more information of the Park Hill website: https://www.parkhill.k12.mo.us/families/pta-clothing-center

Miles of Smiles, a program of Level Up Kids, provides free dental care to children in the Northland who do not have access to oral health services. The dentist sees students right here at English Landing! The dental care will be provided September 4th-30th, 2024. Enrollment information was sent home with your student the first week of school. You can also sign up at the links below or using the attached QR code.

https://practisforms.com/milesofsmilesinc/forms/milesofsmilesinc-registration-form

https://practisforms.com/milesofsmilesinc/forms/milesofsmilesinc-formulario-de-inscripcion

https://levelupkidsinc.org/

Any low-income individual or family who is in need of Food Stamp or other benefits should reach out to the Family Support Division for help. Missourians can apply for services 24/7 online by visiting MyDSS.mo.gov, or by sending completed applications and verification documents by email to FSD.Documents@dss.mo.gov, or by fax to 573-526-9400. Missourians can also apply for Family Medicaid over the phone by calling 1-855-373-9994 during business hours Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Home Energy Assistance Program

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) may be able to help you pay your home energy bills through:

Energy Assistance - A one-time payment for one fuel type for your heating or cooling costs from October-May.

Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP) - Helps pay your energy bill when you have a termination or disconnect notice indicating a specific disconnect date, a final billing statement advising the account has been terminated, a propane-fuel oil tank is filled at less than 20% capacity, the customer is a cash on delivery (COD) customer, pre-paid electric customer indicates their pre-paid usage is about to run out, or when an applicant indicates another fuel source is about to fun out (Wood, corn pellets, kerosene). The amount of help you receive is based on the amount of bill with the energy provider.

Winter ECIP is available November—May based on funding. The maximum amount you could get is $800.

Summer ECIP is available June—September based on funding. The maximum amount you could get is $600.

Contracted agencies may also provide emergency services such as blankets, emergency lodging, heating/cooling replacement or repair, window air conditioners, or wood stoves.

Am I eligible?

You may be eligible for help if you:

• Are responsible for paying the utilities for your home (including if you rent)
• Are a Missouri resident
• Are a United States citizen (or have been legally admitted for permanent residence)
• Have $3,000 or less in your bank accounts, retirement accounts, or investments
• Meet or are below the income guidelines for your household size

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO APPLY, please visit: https://mydss.mo.gov/utility-assistance/liheap

Also, please see the Community Resource List below as there are several food pantries around our community. If you have any questions about how to access food pantries, or are concerned about meeting your family's food needs, please contact me for support!

We would like to offer your student the opportunity to participate in the BackSnack Program!

If you choose to participate, the student(s) will bring home a sack full of child-friendly food in their backpack each Friday. This food is collected and distributed by Harvesters. If you have a concern about a product, please do not allow your child to eat it and contact me so that I can assist you.

Please contact Keely Hansen starting in September 2024 to enroll your child in this program. Numbers for this program are limited, and depending on interest, your child may receive a bag every other week, rather than weekly.

hansenk@parkhill.k12.mo.us

816-359-6760

Beacon Mental Health (formerly Tri-County):

Services include mental health, substance use treatment, prevention and wellness activities for Clay, Platte and Ray counties. To begin services at Beacon, all you have to do is call to request an intake appointment, or arrive during their walk-in hours (8:30-1 Monday through Friday).

Beacon services clients with Medicaid insurance, as well as clients who are uninsured.

To schedule an intake appointment, please call: 816-468-0400

Beacon's Crisis Line can be reached 24/7 at: 1-888-279-8188

Mental Health Services for Non-Medicaid clients:

A great way to find community mental health providers is by calling the number on your insurance card. The number is likely labeled as Behavioral Health Services. When calling your insurance provider, you can ask for a list of local in-network therapists. You can also look on PsychologyToday.com, as this is a great website to find local providers. As always, please reach out to Mrs. Hansen, or Mrs. Fullerton if you need or want any help finding a mental health provider.

Please see the Community Resource List below for a few other community mental health providers in our area.

United Way: 211

United Way 2-1-1 is a free and confidential service that connects people to everyday needs that aren’t quite 9-1-1 emergencies. Need to find counseling? A health clinic? Job training? A food pantry? Simply dial 2-1-1, or visit United Way 2-1-1 Online to search for resources on your own.

Northland Human Services Directory

http://www.northlandhumanservices.org/directory.html

For Multiple Services & Emergency Assistance

Hope Faith Ministries: daytime homeless center; provides food, clothing, showers, laundry service, and phone and mail access

https://www.hopefaith.org/services

Phone: 816-471-4673

Catholic Charities: provides housing, workforce development, education, healthcare, grief support, emergency assistance, turn-around re-entry after prison, disability and deaf services,

Senior care, possible help with utility bills and rent assistance

Phone: 816-221-4377

Salvation Army Emergency Services: 816-756-1455 or 816-452-5663

Northland Assistance Center: provides emergency assistance with food, lodging, holiday food baskets, referral services, case management, etc.

Phone: 816-421-2243

Homeless

Homeless Hotline: 816-474-4599

Sheffield Place: provides long-term shelter and support services to homeless mothers and their children

phone: 816-483-9927

Housing Authority: helps with providing affordable housing

Phone: 816-968-4100

Family Promise of the Northland: provides both a day center with laundry, WiFi, showers, basic clothing etc. and a shelter

816-888-7070

Hillcrest Transitional Housing: 816-587-9037; apply online for the adult and family transitional housing program: https://hillcrestplatte.org/family-and-adult-application/

Salvation Army Supportive Housing: 816-285-2496

ReStart: Provides shelter and support services to the homeless. 918 E 9th St, KCMO.

816-842-1199

Rose Brooks Center: emergency domestic violence shelter

Phone: 816-861-6100

Synergy Services: children’s shelter, teen shelter, temporary housing for youth transitioning into adulthood, emergency domestic violence shelter

Phone: 816-587-4100

Medical

Swope Health Northland: 2906 NW Vivion Road Riverside, MO 64150

Phone: 816-627-2050 Fax: 816-599-5961

Platte County Health Department: 7925 NW 110th St, Kansas City, MO 64153; phone: 816-858-2412

Children’s Mercy Hospital: 2401 Gilham Rd, Kansas City, MO 64108 816-234-3000 or Children's Mercy Northland Clinic 501 NW Barry Rd, Kansas City, MO 64155

Mental Health

Beacon Mental Health Center: 3100 NE 83rd St, Kansas City, MO 64119, 816-468-0400

Synergy Services: 816-587-4100

Metis Counseling: 816-399-4204

NOVO Counseling: 816-841-7735

Signature Behavioral Services (adults only) Liberty or North Kansas City Locations: 877-329-3731

Lilac Center (ages 13 and up): 816-221-0305

Embark Counseling Services: 913-257-3161

Dipoto Counseling Services: 816-268-8501

Comprehensive Psychiatric Associates: 816-453-7473

Food

St. Therese St. Vincent De Paul Food Pantry

7207 NW Highway 9

Kansas City, MO 64152

816-741-8661; call between 9a-12p Monday-Friday

Gloria Dei Lutheran Church Pantry
5409 NW 72nd Street
Kansas City, MO 64151
816-741-3150
gloriadeikc.org; food distribution in the Chinn Elementary parking lot the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month

SPEAC Food Pantry - 819 Main Street, Parkville, MO 64152 (Entrance is on 9 Highway - across from Park University Soccer Field) (Lower level of Parkville Presbyterian Church)

Phone: 816-746-1057; call between 9a-12p on Mondays to make an appointment for the week

St. James Pantry

1104 NE Vivion Rd. KCMO 64118

816-452-1018

Call EL social worker Keely Hansen (816-359-6760) for a referral

Mimi's Pantry

2255 NW Vivion Rd., Riverside, MO 64150

816-735-0220

A Turning Point
5105 NW Waukomis Drive
Riverside, MO 64151
816-237-0138
www.www.aturningpointkc.org/; register and make appointments online

Avondale United Methodist Pantry
3135 NE Winn Road
Kansas City, MO 64117
816-452-3518

avondalemethodist.org

Metropolitan Lutheran Ministries
1104 NE Vivion Rd.

Kansas City, MO 64118

816-454-5295

www.mlmkc.org

Northland Assistance Center
2018 Gentry Street
North KC, MO 64116
816-421-2243; call between 10a-3p Monday-Friday

Salvation Army - Northland
5306 N Oak Trafficway
Kansas City, MO 64118
816-452-5663

Harvesters
3801 Topping Avenue
Kansas City, MO 64120
877-653-9519
harvesters.org

St. Charles Catholic Church Pantry
900 NE Shady Lane
Kansas City, MO 64118
816-436-0880

Hillside Christian Church Pantry

900 NE Vivion Road
Kansas City, MO 64118
816-453-2623
hillsidecc.com

The City of Riverside is now taking applications for the 2024 Shop with a Cop holiday program. The program will take place December 14, 2024. The program is open to children, ages 5-18, whose family qualifies under the program’s income guidelines, as well as children who have entered foster care or guardianship during the holidays. Please apply online at www.riversidemo.gov/swac

The City of Riverside is now taking applications for the 2024 Shop with a Cop holiday program. The program will take place December 14, 2024. The program is open to children, ages 5-18, whose family qualifies under the program’s income guidelines, as well as children who have entered foster care or guardianship during the holidays. Please apply online at www.riversidemo.gov/swac

The City of Riverside is hosting a FREE Trunk or Treat event on Saturday, October 19 from 5:30-6:30pm. They are also hosting a Halloween event, Carved, featuring entertainment and food. Please see the link below for tickets.