By Rise Up Reno Prevention Network
RENO COUNTY, Kan. — Rise Up Reno Prevention Network has completed the formation of the Drug Endangered Children Alliance with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between agencies who are the leading force behind the wellbeing of children in Reno County. Those agencies include Law Enforcement, Fire Department, EMS, Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, Reno County Health Department, Reno County District Attorney’s office, Juvenile Intake Assessment Services, Kansas Department of Children and Families, St. Francis Ministries, TFI Family Preservation, Parents as Teachers Hutchinson, and Horizons Mental Health Center.
Representation from schools in Reno County and the Reno Co. Sherriff Department were instrumental in helping with an addition to the Alliance by collaborating on a Handle With Care memorandum of understanding. Handle with Care identifies children who have experienced traumatic events, so they are handled with care in the event of unusual behaviors. Drug endangered children are those who are at risk of suffering physical, mental or emotional harm as a result of substance misuse by a parent or caregiver. They may also be children whose caretaker’s substance use interferes with the ability to parent and provide a safe and nurturing home.
An estimated 165,847 Kansas children are living in environments where their parent or caregiver uses substances. In addition, approximately 3,781 infants are born exposed to substances in Kansas each year. The goal is to reduce the number of children who experience environments where substances are used by increasing identification of and improving the response to these children. This will include resources to families to help break the generational cycle of substance use disorder.
The funding to form the alliance is part of a grant KDHE received from the U.S. Department of Justice awarded to Rise Up Reno Prevention Network.
