You may have heard of us. You may have even seen our name around Kansas City. But if you’ve ever wondered what CAPACares really does, this is for you.
We’re here to support kids, adults, and families who are going through hard times. And we do it in three big ways: counseling, education, and family support.
The best part? All of our services are free.
Counseling: Help for the Hard Stuff
Life can be really hard. Trauma doesn’t look the same for everyone, and it doesn’t pick favorites. It can happen to anyone, at any age.
That’s why CAPACares offers free counseling for kids, teens, and adults. It doesn’t matter if you have insurance. It doesn’t matter if you can’t pay. If you need support, we’re here.
Our therapists are full-time, licensed professionals who keep learning and growing, always staying up to date on the best ways to help. Every one of them is a Registered Play Therapist™, or working toward that certification. Play therapy isn’t just for little kids, it’s a research-backed way to help people of all ages process what they’ve been through. And it’s just one of the modalities we use with our therapy clients.
We offer therapy in person, online, or right at school during the school day. We serve clients in both Kansas and Missouri. We meet you where you are.
Interested in counseling? Visit capacares.org/what-we-do/counseling/ to learn more, or to refer yourself or someone else for our services.
Family Support: A Home Visitor Who Comes to You
Our Healthy Families Jackson County™ program is free and it’s voluntary for Jackson County parents.
Here’s how it works. One of our home visitors comes to you: your home, a family member’s place, a hotel, wherever you are. Once a week, for about an hour, they spend time getting to know your family.
Home visitors don’t show up with a checklist or a script. They take time to understand who your family is. They see you as the expert on your own life. Along the way, they offer support and education on things like:
- Prenatal health and child development
- Bonding with your baby
- Emotional support and coping skills
- Healthy habits and safety
- Connecting with other parents
- Helping you find and use other resources
The program serves families from pregnancy until the child’s third birthday. To join, families need to apply before the baby’s first birthday. Learn more at capacares.org/what-we-do/family-support/.
Education: Building Safer, Stronger Communities
Healing doesn’t just happen one person at a time. It happens in schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods.
CAPACares offers education programs to help communities recognize, prevent, and respond to child abuse and trauma. Here’s what that looks like:
For workplaces and organizations: Mandated reporter training, so people who work with kids know what to look for and what to do if they suspect abuse or neglect.
For schools: Social-emotional learning programs that help kids understand and manage their feelings.
For parents: Parenting skills training, available in person, online, or one-on-one if our regular schedule doesn’t work for you. Certificates of completion for those who finish all sessions (available upon request).
For the community: Presentations at public events and group meetings on child abuse prevention across the Kansas City area.
Head to capacares.org/what-we-do/education/ to learn more, to schedule a presenter at your next event, or to register for an upcoming Parenting Skills Training.
How Is All of This Free?
CAPACares is funded by individual donors, private foundations, and grants, including federal and local funding. That support is what makes it possible for us to offer every single one of these services at no cost to the people we serve.
Three Pillars. One Mission.
Counseling, education, and family support aren’t three separate programs that happen to share a name. They work together.
When a child gets therapy and their caregiver has the skills and support they need and a teacher or other trusted adult knows how to spot the signs, that’s when real change happens. That’s how families heal. That’s how communities grow stronger.
That’s CAPACares.
Want to learn more about us or make a donation to support this important work?