KU Team of the Year builds sustainable system of support for Kansas families

When community members and service providers across sectors come together to listen, coordinate care and identify shared values, families thrive. That collaborative vision is at the heart of this year’s KU Team of the Year. 

The Family Strong team at the Center for Public Partnerships and Research (CPPR) was recognized at the KU Employee Recognition Ceremony for their work on a five-year, community-driven initiative dedicated to strengthening the well-being of families across eight underserved southeast Kansas counties. 

The Universal Prevention for Strong and Thriving Families (Family Strong) project brought together service providers, community leaders and families to build a sustainable, connected system of universal supports. 

“I’m incredibly proud of how this team centered community voice, built durable partnerships, and translated research into meaningful, lasting change for families across southeast Kansas,” said CPPR Director Jared Barton. 

Through innovative tools like the nationally adopted Family Well‑Being Survey, the team expanded access to vital services and improved cross‑sector coordination, including a 50% increase in participation in CPPR’s community referral platform, IRIS.  

The team’s dedicated efforts led to: 

• A 40% decrease in substantiated child maltreatment (surpassing the team’s 10% target) 
• A 12% decrease in removals to foster care (exceeding project targets) 
• Additional critical supports to families (97 families received legal services; 338 families received community-based services related to economic supports, health, mental health, legal, or other social services) 

The team’s success demonstrates the power of collaboration and CPPR’s commitment to work alongside public agencies, nonprofits, funders and community members to tackle complex challenges and create systems that help children and families thrive.