The Kansas SMVF Care Collaborative is a monthly virtual forum established to improve access to behavioral health care for Kansas’ service members, Veterans, and their families (SMVF). Through cooperative learning and information sharing, community providers and Veteran service organizations are committed to improving care and reducing suicide among Veterans.
Open to all who support Kansas’ service members, Veterans, and their families. Current attendees include representatives from:
- Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers (CCBHC)
- Inpatient psychiatric facilities
- Substance recovery programs
- Hospital emergency rooms
- Crisis stabilization units
- Outpatient behavioral health providers
- Law enforcement
- First responders
- Higher Education
- Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center
- Eastern Kansas VA Healthcare System
- Various local and state government agencies
- Utilize a public health approach to address the mental health needs of Kansas’ service members, Veterans, and their families, and to prevent suicide deaths
- Cultivate collaborative relationships among care providers across the state
- Enhance knowledge of services available to the SMVF community through rich dialogue and exchange of information
Monthly sessions explore topics that impact the provision of care and build competency in serving members of the SMVF community. A steering committee, consisting of individuals from various sectors, collaborates to identify these topics and the subject matter experts who provide a brief presentation. There is also space in each session allowing attendees to share important updates and events happening in their work and in the community.
Roundtable sessions are held quarterly, in lieu of typical monthly presentations. These sessions are designed to foster collaborative discussions on critical issues impacting the care and well-being of Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF). These sessions serve as a platform for diverse stakeholders to engage, share perspectives, and collectively address complex challenges within the SMVF community.
Care Collaborative Presentations and Handouts
Looking for a handout from 2024 or 2025? Feel free to reach out to kerry.bond@va.gov with the date and presentation title for the requested handout.
2026 Presentations
2025 Presentations
No call – Christmas Holiday
COMPACT Act Update
Stephanie Hobbs, COMPACT Act Coordinator
Robert J Dole VA Medical Center
Kansas Office of Veteran Services
Michelle Sweeney, Public Affairs Officer
Kansas Office of Veteran Services
VA Community Care
VA Community Care Leadership
Eastern Kansas VA Healthcare System
Life After the Mission
Courtney Wells, National Veterans Services Coordinator
Summit BHC – Tactical Recovery
Roundtable Session: SMVF Care Impact
Supporting Justice-Involved Veterans
Christine Strohm, Veteran Justice Outreach Coordinator
Eastern Kansas VA Healthcare System
Adam Baker, Veterans Treatment Court Coordinator
Wyandotte County Court Services
No call – Memorial Day Holiday |
Mental Health & Law Enforcement: Working in Partnership with the Community
Lieutenant Kenton Lewis, CIT / Operations Division
Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office
Roundtable Session: Lethal Means Access
What is VA Whole Health?
Chandra Bilhimer, Whole Health Program Manager
Robert J Dole VA Medical Center
No Call – Martin Luther King Holiday |
2024 Presentations
No call – Christmas Holiday
Veteran Pathway to Care at VHA
Kelli Proffitt, LEAD PACT Medicine Social Worker
Eastern Kansas VA Healthcare System
Unite Us: Overview & Implementation
Robert Deleon, Network Success Manager II
Unite Us
CCBHC SMVF Programs: Regulation Review & Implementation Insights
Michelle Calvert, Director of Quality and CCBHC
COMCARE of Sedgwick County
Community Expansion & Live Connected Kansas
VA Community Engagement & Partnerships Coordinators: Sarah Baker (EKS-VHA), Kerry Bond (Dole VHA), and Ashley Delehanty (EKS-VHA)
Janell Stang, Prevention Initiatives
WSU Community Engagement Institute
Roundtable Session
Healthcare for Homeless Veterans: One Team approach to ending Veteran homelessness
Kenny Barker, VA Homeless Program Supervisor
Robert J Dole VA Medical Center
Tyleen Caffrey, MHRRTP Admissions & Transitions Coordinator
Eastern Kansas VA Healthcare System
No call – Memorial Day Holiday
VBA 101: Navigating Veteran Benefits
Shaurie Cudjo, Legal Administrative Specialist
Wichita Regional Office – Veteran Benefits Administration
VA Suicide Prevention & COMPACT Act
Cody Beaton, Suicide Prevention Coordinator
Robert J Dole VA Medical Center
Laura Curry-Mathews, Suicide Prevention Coordinator
Eastern Kansas VA Healthcare System
Stephanie Hobbs, COMPACT Act Coordinator
Robert J Dole VA Medical Center
Pathway to Care: Eligibility & Enrollment Anthony Lovan, Scheduling Training Team Supervisor Eastern Kansas VA Healthcare System |
About Us
The Kansas Prevention Collaborative is a service of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS).
