Wichita State University (WSU) and the University of Kansas have partnered to support new mothers’ mental health and suicide prevention through the Growing HOPE initiative. Building on WSU’s HOPE kits, which have aided people during mental health crises for over a year, this project tailors kits for perinatal support in collaboration with the Center for Research for Infant Birth and Survival (CRIBS) at KU’s School of Medicine-Wichita. In September, students and staff assembled around 1,000 kits at WSU’s Student Wellness Center, including 250 Growing HOPE kits, funded by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services and Aetna Community Cares/CVS.

Each HOPE kit contains items like medication locking caps, gun locks, mental health resources, journals, and other tools to aid in crisis moments before formal treatment begins. Developed initially in 2015 as part of WSU’s Suspenders4Hope program, HOPE kits now reach individuals at WSU’s Wellness Center and Sedgwick County’s COMCARE Community Crisis Center, integrating into safety planning for those in crisis.

“We’re really excited to partner with Wichita State,” said Dr. Cari Schmidt, director of CRIBS. “We know that mental health challenges during pregnancy are one of the top complications that we see. Finding support for our families through this partnership and being able to provide our Growing HOPE kits is crucial to supporting their mental wellness and connecting them to resources.”