OLATHE, Kan. — The need for mental health care in Kansas has only increased over the last several years.
Just last year, Mental Health America put Kansas in last place when ranking mental health and care in states across the country.
A growing need means organizations like Kids TLC needs to grow, too.
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"What we do here matters," said John Laffoon, the chief program officer at Kids TLC. "We have kids that will come here for services whether it be inpatient or outpatient with what could be bleak futures, and instead we get graduation announcements."
Kids TLC provides thousands of kids in Kansas every year.
Their inpatient care helps 200 to 300 kids per year, but there are hundreds more they can't help, not without growing.
"The frustration that I feel for those families, because it's determined that they have that need, but yet I still have to wait," Laffoon said.
Multiple studies on youth mental health in the state show rates over the last 10 years steadily climbing.
Kids TLC says a $750,000 grant from the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation will help go towards its larger goal of expanding into nearby space.
They've already renovated a nearby building which will now house some of the in-patient youth clients.
"Renovate and change a building here on our campus that allows for more beds that then in turn takes kids off our waiting list," said Rojanae Williams, chief development officer at Kids TLC.
Change takes time, and though the mental health landscape in Kansas has statistically been bleak, every single new bed for a new patient at Kids TLC make it a little brighter.
"The funding that then drives the work also drives results and we literally change the lives of children and families that come here," Laffoon said.
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