KVC Health Systems, Inc. (KVC) is a private, nonprofit child welfare and behavioral healthcare organization. When Kansas became the first U.S. state to privatize its child welfare services in 1996, it selected KVC Health Systems to be one of the service providers. As of 2013, KVC Health Systems remains the only original contractor that is still providing these services. KVC Health Systems has provided foster care case management services longer than any other private organization in the U.S.
Since its founding in 1970, KVC has grown since from a single home for at-risk boys in Kansas to a national organization serving 25,000 children and their families in the United States. KVC’s evidence-based research to achieve better outcomes and advance child welfare led to the Annie E. Casey Foundation endorsing KVC as a national best-practice organization.
History
What is now KVC Health Systems started in 1970 as Wyandotte House in Wyandotte County, Kansas. B. Wayne Sims was hired in 1980 as President and CEO. He contributed some of the organization's guiding philosophies including, “What would you want for your child?†and “There is no magic answer down the street." As of 2013, Wayne Sims remains the President and CEO of the organization with 33 years on the job.
When the state of Kansas became the first state to privatize child welfare services in 1996, KVC was selected as one of the contractors. In 2013, KVC Health Systems remains the only original contractor in the state. On July 1, 2013, the Kansas Department of Children and Families awarded KVC an expanded contract, making KVC responsible for children needing foster care in 30 counties of eastern Kansas. These services are provided through subsidiary KVC Kansas, also known as KVC Behavioral HealthCare. An August 2013 visit to Kansas by a delegation from Singapore's government attests to KVC's success in improving outcomes for vulnerable children.
Overview
KVC provides services for children and families including foster care, adoption, in-home family therapy / family preservation services, behavioral healthcare, outpatient services and residential psychiatric hospital care for children and adolescents.
The organization has been accredited by The Joint Commission since 1991.
KVC Health Systems is the parent organization of subsidiaries including:
- KVC Kansas (also known as KVC Behavioral HealthCare)
- KVC Hospitals
- KVC Nebraska (also known as KVC Behavioral HealthCare Nebraska)
- KVC West Virginia (also known as KVC Behavioral HealthCare West Virginia)
- KVC Kentucky (also known as KVC Behavioral HealthCare Kentucky)
KVC has a presence in Washington, D.C., where the agency is consulting on behalf of the District of Columbia's Child and Family Services Agency.
State and federal agencies as well as international governments often call on KVC Health Systems to provide consulting on how to improve child welfare.
Partnerships
Dr. Glenn Saxe, director of The Child Study Center at New York University's Langone Medical Center, has worked with KVC to adapt his Trauma Systems Therapy (TST) approach to the foster care community. This aims to equip foster parents to better support children who have experienced trauma such as abuse or neglect.
Notes
External links
- KVC Health Systems website
- Facebook page for KVC Health Systems
- LinkedIn page for KVC Health Systems
- Twitter page for KVC Health Systems
- Guidestar profile for KVC Health Systems
- CareerBuilder page for KVC Health Systems
- NYU Langone Medical Center - KVC's Use of Trauma Systems Therapy
- Video of KVC President/CEO Wayne Sims on the history of KVC
- Kansas City Royals' James Shields and KU Coach Bill Self Help KVC Kids in Foster Care
- Kansas City Royals' Big Game James Section for KVC Kids in Foster Care
