1. All Hands on Deck coalition announces new one-stop resource center for the homeless

2. Topeka Rescue Mission repurposes Children's Palace for community hub

3. All Hands on Deck explores 'low-barrier' safe rest shelter

4. Severe shortage of treatment beds leaves willing addicts on the streets

5. Cost of chronic homelessness projected to skyrocket by 2030

6. Shawnee County Health Department partners with Shawnee County District Attorney for youth tobacco/vaping diversion hearings

7. Licensed child care facilities continue to decline in Shawnee County

1. All Hands on Deck coalition announces new one-stop resource center for the homeless

SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. - Local agencies announced the creation of the Compassion Impact Center, a centralized hub designed to provide comprehensive services to the unsheltered population. Launching on April 7, the center will be located at the Topeka Rescue Mission's Children's Palace and will bring together the work of the Moving Ahead Partnership, Impact Avenues and over 60 local agencies. The "one-stop shop" model aims to eliminate the barriers homeless individuals face in acquiring identification, employment and mental health services by bringing all necessary providers under one roof.

2. Topeka Rescue Mission repurposes Children's Palace for community hub

SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. - To accommodate the new Compassion Impact Center, the Topeka Rescue Mission is undergoing a major logistical shuffle. Over the next several months, Topeka Rescue Mission staff will completely vacate the 18,000-square-foot Children's Palace to make room for the 60 partnering agencies. Mission CEO La Manda Cunningham stated that the organization is relocating its internal operations to the Topeka Rescue Mission's Hope Center and the main shelter, noting that the agency must adapt to serve the greater good of Shawnee County.

3. All Hands on Deck explores 'low-barrier' safe rest shelter

SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. - As part of a broader strategy to end chronic homelessness, leaders of the All Hands on Deck coalition are actively exploring the creation of a proposed low-barrier "safe-rest" shelter model. Unlike the Topeka Rescue Mission, which requires guests to be sober to protect recovery programs, a low-barrier shelter would accept individuals who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, provided they do not use on-site. The proposed facility would also be pet-friendly, addressing a major reason some individuals refuse to leave the streets. Coalition organizers noted that providing a safe place for immediate rest is a critical stepping stone before individuals can transition into permanent housing or treatment programs.

4. Severe shortage of treatment beds leaves willing addicts on the streets

SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. - Topeka Rescue Mission CEO La Manda Cunningham highlighted a critical gap in the county's mental health and addiction infrastructure, noting that individuals ready to seek help face wait times of up to 48 hours for a treatment or detox bed. Cunningham shared a recent story of a homeless man who came to a warming center, got clean and asked for help, but returned to the streets and relapsed because local partners had no immediate availability. Cunningham emphasized that closing the transition gap between the desire to get clean and actual facility admission is vital for community safety and recovery efforts.

5. Cost of chronic homelessness projected to skyrocket by 2030

SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. - The financial toll of chronic homelessness on Shawnee County taxpayers currently sits at nearly $40 million annually, or roughly $36,000 per unsheltered individual. United Way of Kaw Valley Vice President of Community Impact Brett Martin warned local leaders that the fastest-growing demographic among the homeless is individuals over the age of 60. By 2030, the cost to support an aging homeless individual is projected to be $175,000 per person annually due to increased health and medical complications, which is a significant contrast to the current $36,000 average for the broader unsheltered population.

6. Shawnee County Health Department partners with Shawnee County District Attorney for youth tobacco/vaping diversion hearings

SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. - In an effort to reduce the burden on local district courts, the Shawnee County Health Department has partnered with the Shawnee County District Attorney's Office to host a diversion-style hearing program for youth under 21 who are cited for tobacco and vaping violations. By hosting the hearings at the Shawnee County Health Department, staff can directly provide peer-supported, health-centered education to both the youth and their parents. The initiative is funded by a $100,084 Chronic Disease Risk Reduction grant request.

7. Licensed child care facilities continue to decline in Shawnee County

SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. - Shawnee County has lost 35 licensed child care facilities since 2024, dropping from 296 to 261. Shawnee County Health Department Community Health Outreach and Planning division manager Craig Barnes attributed the decline to recent regulatory shifts that allow unlicensed in-home providers to take on more children while simultaneously increasing regulations and operating costs for licensed facilities. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, which oversees child care licensing, did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the regulatory changes. The Shawnee County Health Department is requesting $424,354 in formula-based grant funding to continue conducting safety inspections and offering free orientations to encourage the opening of new licensed facilities.

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