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| COMBAT-Supported Ex-Offenders/Reentry Programs |
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Amethyst Place, Inc. Preventing Multi-Generational Substance Use
Amethyst Place is a safe haven where mothers recovering from substance use can rebuild their lives and families. Through a holistic model that includes supportive housing, therapeutic care, and empowerment programs, Amethyst Place helps families break free from cycles of poverty, trauma, and addiction. At its core, the program offers not only stability—but hope, healing, and long-term transformation. At the center of Amethyst Place is the Supportive Housing Program, which provides 37 fully furnished apartments in a vibrant, close-knit community. Families are given a stable home for as long as they need, along with access to basic essentials like food, clothing, and household items. In 2023, Amethyst Place supported 163 women and children in reclaiming their lives through the safety and security of stable housing. Kansas City faces a severe housing shortage, with more than 64,000 units of affordable housing needed for low-income renters.
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Artists Helping The Homeless: BE THE CHANGE
At the heart of Amethyst House Healing’s (AHH) recovery model is a simple but powerful idea: meet people where they are—both physically and emotionally—and walk alongside them as they rebuild their lives. The BE THE CHANGE Program accomplishes this mission through a two-stage residential model that offers shelter, recovery support and long-term stability for individuals who are unhoused and living with substance use disorders. Too often, services for unhoused individuals are fragmented. Detox programs discharge patients with no follow-up care. Treatment centers are full or come with long waitlists. Agencies operate in silos. The BE THE CHANGE model eliminates that burden. By embedding its staff in the facilities of hospitals, jails, shelters, and treatment providers, AHH connects services into a seamless pipeline. Staff do not wait for referrals—they go where the need is. This coordination has proven to improve outcomes, reduce recidivism, and increase program completion.
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Center For Conflict Resoltuion
CENTER FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION -- Breaking Cycles of Violence (BCV) is a reentry program that bridges gaps from incarceration to community supervision to release. The program continues the conflict resolution, restorative justice and trauma training for residents and staff at the Kansas City Reentry Center. Building on the successful components of BCV, this year the Center for Conflict Resolution will add another element to bring the people who have caused harm together—when and where possible—with people who have been harmed to foster healing. People who have caused harm often become trapped in cycles of violence that affect their whole lives and the lives of others around them. BCV addresses CCR training and processes that are trauma-informed and utilize-evidence based cognitive behavior change elements to improve thoughts, emotions and behavior. The training and restorative justice processes help participants find positive ways to deal with conflict before it escalates to violence.
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Footprints – Prevention
Footprints offers a comprehensive Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) designed to support individuals struggling with substance use disorders (SUD) and co-occurring mental health conditions. The program combines structured classes, therapy groups, and personalized care to foster lasting recovery. Key services include recovery coaching, relapse counseling, case management, drug testing, and participation in 12-step meetings such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Cocaine Anonymous. Participants also engage in group and individual therapy, peer support, and receive referrals to additional community resources as needed. Mental illness affects one in five adults nationwide, with rates significantly higher among incarcerated populations, where nearly 37% experience diagnosable mental health conditions. Trauma is common, with 75% of incarcerated adults reporting a history of trauma and over half experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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Full Employment Council Career SOS
The Kansas City Workforce Development Board, in partnership with the Full Employment Council (FEC), is committed to strengthening job training, employment and support services through the innovative Career Systems of Support (Career SOS) initiative. This comprehensive program leverages collaboration, technology and targeted training to help individuals overcome barriers and build sustainable careers in high-demand fields. A central feature of Career SOS is the SOS Partnership Portal, an exclusive online referral platform that streamlines connections between COMBAT-funded agencies and FEC services. This portal enables partner agencies to refer job-ready individuals who meet specific criteria for career training and employment support. Importantly, the portal also allows referrals of individuals within the client’s broader social network, expanding the reach of workforce services.
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Goodwill Violence Prevention
Jackson County faces a significant challenge with violent crime, experiencing a rate of 7.131 violent crimes per 1,000 residents annually. This rate has increased from the previous year, placing the county in the 14th percentile for safety nationwide—meaning only 14% of U.S. counties are more dangerous. The majority of these crimes are concentrated in the northwest part of the county, where the program’s main service locations are based. In these areas, the risk of becoming a victim of violent crime can be as high as one in eight individuals. Many individuals involved in the criminal justice system in Missouri eventually return to their communities after incarceration. While some returnees have been convicted of nonviolent offenses, a large portion have histories of violent crime. This population faces numerous barriers when reentering society. These challenges are often compounded by limited time and resources available to assist them in successfully reintegrating.
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Hope Faith Homeless Assistance
Hope Faith provides critical support to people experiencing homelessness, focusing on case management, diversion assistance, violence victim support and drug use prevention. Their dedicated Diversion and Prevention Team works with individuals to address immediate needs and guide them toward stability and safety. The organization is adding a new staff member to manage the Guest Experience Team and support case managers. This addition strengthens the ability to enroll participants in programs, track progress and respond to needs. National research highlights the elevated risks of violence faced by people experiencing homelessness. Nearly half of men (49%) and women (48%) surveyed reported experiencing violence. Certain groups, including older adults and those homeless for longer than two years, face particularly high risks. Women experiencing homelessness are more likely to suffer violence, including rape, often at the hands of known perpetrators, with continued trauma afterward.
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Journey To New Life Reentry Support
Journey to New Life (JTNL) is a dedicated organization that works with individuals recently released from prison or placed on felony probation within the past three years. Recognizing the many challenges people face when reentering society, JTNL offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to meet immediate needs and support long-term stability. Through emergency assistance, case management, and employment support, JTNL aims to help participants rebuild their lives and contribute to safer communities. Many individuals leaving incarceration return to their communities with nothing but the clothes they are wearing. To meet this urgent need, JTNL provides First Stop services that offer emergency assistance with essentials such as clothing, personal hygiene items, and identification documents. These vital resources help remove immediate barriers, allowing participants to focus on rebuilding their lives.
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KC Crime Commission Second Chance Program
The Second Chance Reentry Program, funded by COMBAT, is a collaborative initiative designed to support individuals returning to Kansas City communities after incarceration. This unique program combines reentry case management, cognitive intervention groups, employment services, direct support, and supervision coordination. It aims to reduce recidivism and promote safety in some of Kansas City’s highest-need neighborhoods. Since 2020, the program has brought together key partners including COMBAT, the Western District of Missouri United States Attorney’s Office, Missouri Probation & Parole, and the Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission. This collaboration builds upon the success of the Crime Commission’s existing Second Chance program, which has operated for four years in violent hotspot areas of the city. In 2024, the program expanded to include important violence reduction partners like Partners for Peace, Violence Free Kansas City, and KC 360.
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Morningstar Case Management & Treatment
Jackson County faces a significant challenge with violent crime, experiencing a rate of 7.131 violent crimes per 1,000 residents annually. This rate has increased from the previous year, placing the county in the 14th percentile for safety nationwide—meaning only 14% of U.S. counties are more dangerous. The majority of these crimes are concentrated in the northwest part of the county, where the program’s main service locations are based. In these areas, the risk of becoming a victim of violent crime can be as high as one in eight individuals. Many individuals involved in the criminal justice system in Missouri eventually return to their communities after incarceration. While some returnees have been convicted of nonviolent offenses, a large portion have histories of violent crime. This population faces numerous barriers when reentering society. These challenges are often compounded by limited time and resources available to assist them in successfully reintegrating.
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Reconciliation Services REVEAL
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. RS serves clients across the metropolitan area but prioritizes neighborhoods east of Troost—areas with the highest concentrations of poverty, violence, and trauma.
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Twelfth Street Heritage Prison-To-Workforce
The Twelfth Street Heritage Development Corporation is leading the way in providing essential support for individuals recently released from prison, as well as those at risk of incarceration. Through its Re-Entry Prevention Program, the organization offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to help participants reintegrate into society with dignity, stability, and purpose. This initiative recognizes that successful re-entry is about more than securing a job—it’s about transforming lives, building resilience, and creating safer, more vibrant communities. The program is rooted in a holistic approach, addressing emotional, financial, behavioral, and health-related needs alongside employment support. At its core, Twelfth Street’s mission is to reduce recidivism and violence by empowering individuals with tools, opportunities, and community connections that lead to long-term success.
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Urban Neighborhood Initiative
The Urban Neighborhood Initiative (UNI) serves as a vital force for transformation within a two-square-mile area of Kansas City’s urban core—bounded by Troost Avenue, Prospect Avenue, Truman Road, and 52nd Street. Home to more than 45,000 residents across ten neighborhoods, this area faces deeply entrenched socioeconomic challenges rooted in a legacy of redlining, underinvestment, and systemic inequity. The UNI-KC Block Connector Program was created to address these challenges by promoting community safety, health, and connection. Through regular events, safety initiatives, and neighborhood meetings, the program fosters trust, builds relationships, and empowers residents to be active partners in the renewal of their communities.
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Violence Prevention Programs