Community Engagement Institute launches new website Community Engagement Institute launches new website

About a year ago, the Community Engagement Institute was established with six centers and two initiatives dedicated to supporting organizations and communities. The Community Engagement Institute emerged from more than 30 years of success as the Center for Community Support & Research and the Self-Help Network. The Community Engagement Institute has grown into one of the largest institutes at Wichita State with 75 staff, providing more than 40 students applied learning opportunities each year. Check out our newly updated website that highlights the Centers and Initiatives of the Community Engagement Institute at http://www.CommunityEngagementInstitute.org.

This past fiscal year, the Community Engagement Institute partnered with dozens of nonprofits, foundations, state agencies, organizations and others, including Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Kansas, RTI International, Kansas Department of Health & Environment, the Kansas Health Foundation and Kansas Children's Cabinet. Project highlights include:

- Creating and implementing a nationally recognized approach to evaluating early childhood programs

- Developing and implementing a statewide initiative to promote healthy behaviors and lifestyles

- Supporting the development of twenty Mental Health Consumer Run Organizations and one hundred Certified Peer Specialists as they promote peer support and recovery

- Serving as leadership faculty and coaches for the widely respected Kansas Leadership Center

- Supporting over two dozen Americorp VISTA members as they fight poverty by serving in nonprofits and agencies across the state

- Creating a statewide collaboration of colleges, nonprofits and grassroots groups to promote community health workers

- Serving as the Editor in Chief and Managing Editors for the internationally recognized Global Journal of Community Psychology Practice