Cornerstones of Care

Cornerstones of Care's primary goal is to reduce the frequency and impact of adverse childhood experiences and positively impact the health and well-being of our communities. The objective of all our services is to assist children and families in developing protective factors that will enable them to overcome the causes and effects of abuse and neglect. We do this by providing therapeutic services for children that address the effects trauma has on child development while teaching skills to manage emotions and build strong, healthy relationships. Therapeutic services for families help parents to improve interpersonal communication and parenting skills. Case managers help families and older youth aging out of foster care to mitigate stress factors by connecting them to resources within their own community, which includes building healthy relationships with friends and family to the extent that family is involved. Older youth with no supports are given a safe and stable place to live while they work on their education plan and gain job experience.

Our array of quality preventive, treatment, and support services integrates traditional social welfare with innovative behavioral healthcare services to provide holistic wraparound support and care for children and their families, helping them develop the skills and knowledge they need to empower themselves to live safe, productive, and non-violent lives. Ultimately, our focus is on alleviating trauma and harnessing an individual's capability to create positive change. By reducing the effects of adverse childhood experiences, we can offer children and families renewed hope and a strong foundation for success, decreasing the incidences of violence and incarceration and increasing their ability for productive, independent living. To accomplish this, Cornerstones of Care utilizes trauma-informed and trauma-sensitive therapeutic and support services such as Functional Family Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing. We also provide supportive services using Signs of Safety, a best practice model used and recommended by the Missouri Children's Division, and Solution Based Casework, an evidence-informed practice model.

For the last 150 years, Cornerstones of Care has responded to the behavioral, emotional, and social needs of children and their families with dignity and care. Such a historic span would not have been possible without a demonstrated commitment to providing the highest quality of services. Our trauma-informed approach addresses the immediate need for safety and responds to symptoms of trauma (such as emotional dysregulation and toxic stress) that can delay or prevent a child's healthy development. Only by reducing the effects of adverse childhood experiences can children truly learn to overcome their trauma and achieve their full potential. Cornerstones of Care is licensed by the Missouri Children’s Division and Departments of Mental Health and Elementary & Secondary Education. In addition, the agency is licensed by the Kansas Department for Children and Families, accredited by the Council on Accreditation, and certified in the Sanctuary Model®, an evidence-supported practice that considers the impact of trauma on childhood development. Cornerstones of Care is a United Way Agency.