In September/October 2024, the Justice Matters network organized thirty house meetings led by trained leaders to strengthen our relational power and to surface the most pressing concerns facing Lawrencians. Several themes emerged including the safety and health of our children. The partnerships and collaborations are very dependent on the issue. In the case of youth trauma, the research and action team in the last four months have met with Be Smart, Children’s Alliance, Douglas County CASA, Engage Douglas County, Heartland Community Health Center, Headquarter Kansas (suicide hotline), Kansas Children’s Service League, Kansas Data Science Consortium, Kansas Fire and Rescue, Kennedy School: Early Childhood Program, O’Connell Children’s Shelter, Positive Bright Start (early childhood education, therapy services, financial aid, and food program), Students Demand Action, Youth Recovery Center, and Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health. These meetings provided valuable insight into what services are currently available and what gaps need to be filled. At the Community Problems Assembly in April, 122 Justice Matters members were presented with several themes that emerged and voted to focus on the problem of “Youth Trauma”.

At the 2025 Nehemiah Assembly in May with 430 people attending, Amber Sellers, Lawrence City Commissioner, committed to gathering a group of stakeholders from Lawrence and Douglas County by September 12, 2025. Andy Brown, the Deputy Secretary for the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, and Kelsee Fout, Maternal and Child Behavioral Health Director with the Bureau of Family Health part of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, will participate as stakeholders to explore proven solutions to address childhood trauma in Lawrence.

By the end of 2025, we will have determined which stakeholders need to meet regularly to find the solution and move towards implementation. Justice Matters board and team leaders will update members through personal dialogue, the solutions briefing, and next year’s Nehemiah Action Assembly.