Matt Weller, Clay Counts Coalition
Photo Courtesy of Clay Counts Coalition
Happy New Year from Clay Counts!
The Clay Counts mission statement says the organization exists to “promote social, physical, and mental well-being for the residents of Clay County, emphasizing reduction of youth substance use to foster a thriving environment in which to live, learn, and play.”
In 2025, the Clay Counts Coalition did just that with the help of more than $410,000 in grant funding, which turned into prevention, mental health awareness, youth leadership, and community education initiatives.
A significant portion of this funding came from federal sources, led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Drug Free Communities (DFC) Grant, which provides $125,000 annually over a 10-year period. The DFC grant is matched by $125,000 in community in-kind contributions.
At the state level, the Coalition secured multiple Kansas Department grants to address urgent community needs. These included a $100,000 Kansas Department of Health and Environment Drug Endangered Children Grant, which supports training and services for children and families impacted by substance misuse, and $45,000 from the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) for suicide prevention initiatives. An additional $12,000 KDADS Youth Leaders in Kansas (YLinK) Grant helped expand youth leadership and peer-to-peer prevention programming across Clay County schools.
Local investment also played a role, with the Clay Center Community Improvement Foundation contributing $3,500 to support prevention activities and outreach efforts.
These combined local, state, and federal funds were put to work through a wide range of programs. In schools, the Coalition provided prevention curricula such as Botvin LifeSkills, Too Good for Drugs, the TeamMates mentoring program, and leadership development for students in USD 379. Community-wide efforts included suicide prevention trainings, opioid poisoning and Narcan education, drug take-back days, and parenting classes.
Youth engagement also remained a cornerstone of the Coalition’s work. The Youth Leaders in Kansas (YLinK) program expanded to four school chapters, hosted leadership events, and sent local students to national training opportunities. Community-building initiatives—such as movie nights, Courageous Conversation events, and a new community garden—further strengthened connections across Clay County.
2025 was a great year for Clay Counts, and we are excited for what is to come in 2026!
Want to keep up with everything Clay Counts is doing? Visit our website at claycountscoalition.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
