Pathway To Hope

In 2012, Pathway To Hope launched its signature education course, E3: Encourage, Empower and Educate™, to support families and caregivers in understanding, navigating, and accessing services within the mental health delivery system. Taught by trained volunteers who have personal experience caring for an individual diagnosed with serious mental illness, E3 is a 10-module course conducted in an atmosphere of confidentiality over a period of 8 weeks. Each of the 8 sessions focus on different serious mental illness diagnoses and educates families and caregivers about treatment options, techniques for handling real life situations, and strategies to manage their responses to their loved one's serious mental illness.

In 2007, Pathway To Hope opened Blake House located in Olathe, KS to offer affordable, supportive housing for up to six individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness, at a time. Living in a family setting, Blake House residents learn to strengthen cooking skills, and practice daily chores and consideration of others, while having a feeling of independent living. Time at Blake House varies based on each resident’s unique needs. There is no limit to the amount of time a client may stay at Blake House. Currently, two beds have been designated as temporary for individuals to stay from 0 to 6 months; three beds are designated as semi-permanent for individuals to stay for at least 1 year or longer. The goal for all residents is to assist them in transitioning into Section 8 or some other type of independent housing arrangement. To date, Blake House has provided housing and wraparound support for 54 unduplicated individuals with SMI.

In 2019, Pathway To Hope opened the Reclamation Clubhouse, a dynamic community center for individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness. The evidence-based “Clubhouse” model has been in existence for over 65 years with demonstrated effectiveness in promoting employment, reducing hospitalization, enlarging social supports and networks, and improving quality of life for individuals with serious mental illness (McKay et al. 2016). As described by the Kansas Clubhouse Coalition, “Think of it as a dynamic community center with a purpose. Men and women who are recovering from mental illness work as colleagues along with staff to run the multidimensional center. The co-working model provides unique opportunities for building confidence, skills, relationships, and empowerment. Upon joining the Clubhouse, members choose from a variety of opportunities for employment, education, wellness, and more. Members support one another, building friendships, community, and a sense of purpose.”

Certified Peer-to-Peer Mentoring is conducted by Certified Peer Specialists (CPS) certified through the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS). This service is similar to life coaching. During weekly meeting times, peers will have arranged a structured plan for their scheduled time together to make progress toward their shared goals. The time spent between the CPS and their client peer lacks the rigidity of professional counseling but offers more support than friendship because the CPS has been empowered with professional training to serve peers in this specific role. The Certified Peer-to-Peer Mentoring program specifically target services to individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness who are coming out of hospitalization or those who are needing stabilized housing.

In May 2021, Pathway To Hope moved its offices to a 14,000 square foot location and opened the Midwest Mental Wellness Center. The Center has allowed Pathway to bring all of its programs and services under one roof as well as expand services throughout Greater Kansas City. After renovations are complete in 2022, the Midwest Mental Wellness Center will feature a full-service on-site trauma-informed professional counseling center including five private counseling rooms.

Professional counseling will be conducted by licensed professionals specializing in evidence-based treatment modalities for trauma-informed care. Licensed professionals will also supervise masters-level clinical interns who will be required to complete both cultural-competency and trauma-informed care training. Professional counseling will be offered to SMI-diagnosed individuals and their family members/caregivers through the options of individual, family, or group counseling sessions.