As a nonprofit child- and family-serving organization, KVC Health Systems helps tens of thousands of people each year. Its work spans from strengthening families in crisis, to offering life-saving hope and treatment to people who experience traumatic stress or mental health challenges, to providing 24/7 care and ongoing therapy to children who have experienced abuse or neglect.

Each child or family has its own story, and the unique ways in which people overcome adversity are inspiring. That’s why each summer, KVC Health Systems hosts a story contest. During the 2017 story contest, staff members, birth parents, foster and adoptive parents, clients, community partners and others submitted 88 examples of how KVC made a positive difference in the lives of children and families!

Read the winning stories below. Articles and videos will continue to be published throughout the year. (View 2016 story contest winners here or 2015 story contest winners here.)

Strengthening Families

• Birth Mother and Foster Mother Form a Strong Friendship – (Alissa Rieth, KVC Kansas foster parent)
• Overcoming Addiction: Parents Work Hard to Safely Reunite with Daughter After Foster Care [VIDEO] – (Shannon S., KVC Kansas client)
• Motivated by Love, Father Overcomes Addiction and Brings Son Safely Home After Foster Care – (Lynn Horned, Intensive In-Home Therapist, KVC Kansas)
• Mother Works Hard to Safely Reunite with Her 8 Children (Lynn Horned, Intensive In-Home Therapist, KVC Kansas)
• 17-Year-Old Finds Hope in His Future After Being in Foster Care (Sherry Toney, Safe at Home Wraparound Facilitator, KVC West Virginia)
• Girl Safely Reunites with Father After Being in Foster Care (Bethany Barnes, Hospital Therapist, KVC Kansas)
• Social Worker’s Act of Kindness Has Huge Impact on Single Father (Mary Conlee-Smith, Family Specialist, KVC Kentucky)

Foster Care/Adoption

• Brothers Find a Permanent, Forever Home (Lisa Ahmann, Foster Care Specialist, KVC Nebraska)

KVC Team Member Going Above and Beyond

• KVC Social Workers Ease Two Brothers’ Anxiety Before Adoption (Rebecca James, Case Manager, and Brittany Sponaugle, Homefinder, KVC West Virginia, nominated by Rebecca James, Foster/Adoptive Case Manager, KVC West Virginia)
• Walking the Walk: KVC Nebraska In-Home Specialist Adopts From Foster Care (nominated by Jodie Austin, President, KVC Nebraska)
• Team Eases Admission for Youth at Psychiatric Hospital (KVC Campus Supervisor, Nurse & Admissions Team, nominated by Sarah Coplen, Communications and Outreach Coordinator, KVC Prairie Ridge Hospital)

Behavioral Healthcare including Substance Abuse Treatment

• Teen Girl Achieves Healthy, Independent Life (Shane Nevius, EFH Specialist, KVC Nebraska)

Children’s Psychiatric Hospital Treatment

• The Lydia Tree: How Unconditional Love Helped One Girl Heal from a Traumatic Childhood (Alicia Armstrong, Clinical Manager, KVC Prairie Ridge Hospital)
• Finding Her Voice: Teen Girl Thrives in Treatment (Brittany Slater, Therapeutic Milieu Manager, KVC Prairie Ridge Hospital)
• Young Boy Opens Up and Learns to Trust (Grace Becker, LPN, KVC Prairie Ridge Hospital)
• Young Girl Gains Resources, Support to Help Manage Her Physical and Mental Health (Bailey Bennett, Nurse Supervisor, KVC Prairie Ridge Hospital)
• Journaling Provides Healing for Girl who Experienced Abuse (Lauren Fouts, Hospital Admissions Coordinator, KVC Prairie Ridge Hospital)
• Mr. Melvin Embodies KVC Values (Employee, KVC Prairie Ridge Hospital)
• Teen Learns Coping Skills for Success (Dawn DeJarnette, Therapist, KVC Prairie Ridge Hospital)
• Teen Displaced by War Receives Treatment (Holly Smith, Therapist, KVC Prairie Ridge Hospital)

KVC Team with the Highest Participation

• KVC Hospitals

Honorable Mention

KVC offers its deepest thanks to the following people who submitted poignant stories. They each shared about children and families whose lives KVC Health Systems enriched and enhanced through high-quality, compassionate services.

Kellie Hans-Reid, Director of In-Home Services, KVC Kansas
Elizabeth Gray, Intensive In-Home Therapist, KVC Kansas
Leah Roy, Intensive In-Home Therapist, KVC Kansas
Nancy Moses, Lead Therapist, KVC Kansas
Tara Stewart, Foster Parent, KVC Kansas
Tara Davis, IIHT Supervisor, KVC Kansas
Daniel Reusser II, Aftercare Therapist, KVC Kansas
Larkin Fales, Intensive In-Home Therapist, KVC Kansas
Lena Woods, Intensive In-Home Therapist, KVC Kansas
Eric Joens, Intensive In-Home Therapist, KVC Kansas
Heather Roberts, Intensive In-Home Therapist, KVC Kansas
Sam Robinson, Intensive In-Home Therapist, KVC Kansas
Kelly Beale, Intensive In-Home Supervisor, KVC Kansas
Seth Montgomery, Family Support Worker, KVC Kansas
Kim Kunard, Family Support Worker, KVC Kansas
Pamela Thomas, Receptionist, KVC Kansas
Adam Glidewell, Activities Coordinator, KVC Prairie Ridge
Alishia Wallace, Counselor, KVC Prairie Ridge
Rachel Gunther, Therapist, KVC Prairie Ridge
James Smith, Milieu Manager, KVC Prairie Ridge
Nate Finster, PRTF Liaison, KVC Prairie Ridge
Alex Mendez, Staffing Coordinator, KVC Prairie Ridge
Lauren Lueck, Director of Strategic Initiatives, KVC Hospitals
Sara Richards, Therapist, KVC Prairie Ridge
Derrick Hurst, Senior Program Director, KVC Prairie Ridge
Audrey Lindenmeyer, Program Director, KVC Wheatland
Phil Caldwell, Senior Milieu Manager, KVC Prairie Ridge
Annmarie Arensberg, Associate Clinical Director, KVC Prairie Ridge
J’Amber Wilson, Administrative Coordinator, KVC Prairie Ridge
Caitlin Pennington, BHS Clinician, KVC Kentucky
Julie Tucker, Family Specialist, KVC Kentucky
Chris Holbrook, FPRS Supervisor, KVC Kentucky
Lauren Draper, Wrap Facilitator, KVC Kentucky
Jennifer Roney, WRAP Facilitator/Family Specialist, KVC Kentucky
Shanan Akers, Wrap Facilitator, KVC Kentucky
Chelsie Hasty, Family Specialist, KVC Kentucky
Justin Conn, Family Specialist, KVC Kentucky
Kaitilee Flewelling, Family Specialist, KVC Kentucky
Sarah Smith, Clinical Assessor, KVC Kentucky
Regena Pearl, Director of Programs, Niles
Kelli Anderson, Foster Care Specialist, KVC Nebraska
Ashley Brown, Vice President, KVC Nebraska
Missy Lile, IFP Clinician, KVC Nebraska
Debora Wells, Safe at Home WV Supervisor, KVC West Virginia
Kimberly Bigley, Safe at Home Facilitator for Wood County, KVC West Virginia

Got a Story? Share It Anytime

Congratulations and thank you to everyone who participated. KVC Health Systems will host another story contest in summer 2018. Do you have a story to share? Please tell us about it at www.kvc.org/stories.