Strengthening Communities Through Holistic Support

Reconciliation Services (RS) delivers comprehensive, strength-building assistance through its REVEAL Social and Mental Health Services Program. This program offers a wide range of vital services aimed at individuals and families affected by poverty, trauma, violence, and behavioral and mental health challenges in Jackson County, Missouri’s most disinvested urban neighborhoods.

RS’s holistic approach includes ID-document assistance, comprehensive housing support and counseling, intensive case management, evidence-based trauma therapy, medical and dental supplies through Access KC, food assistance via Thelma’s Kitchen, trauma-informed workforce development, and economic mobility initiatives. These services are designed to foster resilience, promote healing, and support long-term stability for vulnerable populations.

Prioritizing Kansas City’s Most Impacted Neighborhoods

The historic impact of discrimination and deliberate disinvestment has left a lasting mark on Kansas City, with Troost Avenue symbolizing a racial and economic divide. RS serves clients across the metropolitan area but prioritizes neighborhoods east of Troost—areas with the highest concentrations of poverty, violence, and trauma. These communities face severe shortages of essential resources such as nutritious food, stable housing, living-wage jobs, equitable healthcare, and trauma-informed mental health care.

All RS clients live at or below 185% of the federal poverty level and often cope with multiple behavioral and mental health conditions. Approximately 69% of the clients are African American, and 98% reside within Jackson County. These neighborhoods experience extreme social, health, and economic disparities, reflected in poor social determinants of health compared to other areas of the Kansas City metro.

Stark Disparities Highlight The Urgent Need

According to the 2022 U.S. News and World Report Healthiest Communities Rankings, Jackson County ranks in the 25th percentile nationally in income, education, health, and social equality. About 15.2% of adults report frequent mental distress—a telling indicator of community-wide struggles. Within the top 10 zip codes served by RS—including 64109, 64130, 64128, 64127, 64132, 64106, 64108, 64110, 64134, and 64131—disparities are even more severe:

• Poverty rates are double or more than the county average.
• Unemployment rates are three to five times higher than elsewhere in the county.
• Median household incomes are two to four times lower.
• Life expectancy in the urban core trails other parts of Kansas City by 11.5 years.
• Violence and trauma disproportionately affect residents.

As of early 2024, Jackson County reports an overall unemployment rate of 4.3%, a median household income of $65,169, a poverty rate of 15%, and a high school graduation rate of 91%. However, these averages mask the deep economic and social challenges faced in RS’s target neighborhoods.

Responding To A Crisis Of Violence &Trauma

In recent years, violence in Kansas City has surged dramatically, with 2023 marking a new high: 184 homicides, including two fatal police shootings. This spike in violence directly impacts the individuals served by RS. In 2022, the REVEAL Therapy Manager observed a sharp rise in clients seeking help for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression linked to violence and substance use. This trend continued into 2023, with a 41% increase in demand for individual therapy and a staggering 95% increase in case support services.

Moreover, more than half of RS’s clients regularly witness violence, and a significant portion are victims themselves. These realities underscore the urgent need for trauma-informed care and comprehensive support services, which RS provides through its multi-faceted approach.

Comprehensive Mental Health & Social Services

REVEAL’s evidence-based therapy targets trauma, depression, and anxiety, offering healing pathways for individuals whose lives are touched by violence and hardship. Intensive case management ensures clients receive personalized support, connecting them to stable housing, healthcare, and other critical resources. Through Access KC, clients can access medical and dental supplies and prescriptions, removing barriers to essential care.

Food insecurity is addressed through Thelma’s Kitchen, which provides nutritious meals to individuals and families facing hunger. Additionally, trauma-informed workforce development programs prepare clients for sustainable employment, fostering economic mobility and community stability.

Building Community Resilience & Economic Opportunity

Beyond direct services, RS engages in community-building initiatives that promote economic mobility and social connectedness. By empowering clients with skills, resources, and opportunities, RS helps break cycles of poverty and trauma. The organization’s work in Jackson County’s urban core is vital to reversing decades of systemic neglect and creating healthier, safer neighborhoods.

A Lifeline For Jackson County’s Most Vulnerable

Reconciliation Services’ REVEAL Social and Mental Health Services Program plays a critical role in supporting Jackson County’s most vulnerable residents. Through holistic, trauma-informed care and comprehensive social supports, RS fosters resilience and healing in communities hit hardest by poverty, violence, and systemic inequities.

By addressing immediate needs such as housing, food, and healthcare, while simultaneously promoting long-term recovery and economic opportunity, RS stands as a beacon of hope and stability in Kansas City’s disinvested urban core. The program’s dedication to serving those most impacted by social and health disparities is a vital part of building a stronger, more equitable community for all.

Locations

Click on the window icon (upper right corner) of the map below to expand. List of all program locations is included with expanded view of map. Locations are also listed on this page below the map.