Staff, family reflect on 40 years of the Adolescent Center for Treatment
The Adolescent Center for Treatment is currently housed at the Youth & Family Services Center.
Kris Wachter began working for the Adolescent Center for Treatment in 1993. She joined the team as a clinician and has spent most of the past three decades working with young people struggling with substance use in Johnson County and Kansas. When she talks about the program’s history, she starts with one word: pride.
ACT, as it is commonly called, is Johnson County Mental Health Center’s residential substance use treatment program for young people between the ages of 12 and 18. This year, the program is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners’ vote to establish the program.
On Dec. 12, 1985, county commissioners approved $100,000 in funding to provide a substance use treatment program for young people. Johnson County also received a $200,000 grant from the State of Kansas to implement the program, the first publicly-funded inpatient treatment center for youth in Kansas.
The program was initially operated by DePaul Health Systems, a Milwaukee-based provider, through a contract with Johnson County Mental Health Center. When it opened, clients split their time between two buildings: days at a clinic on 75th Street in Merriam and nights in a donated home at the Johnson County Industrial Airport—now New Century AirCenter.
In 1987, DePaul notified Johnson County Mental Health Center that it could no longer continue the program. JCMHC took over operations and, in 1988, cut the ribbon on a new facility at 301 N. Monroe St. in Olathe, where Wachter would begin her career with ACT five years later.
A Kansas City Star article about the facility’s opening noted that the program “didn’t know where its next dollar might come from [in 1987],” but was now “secure that its service will continue.”
Wachter says the county’s perseverance to continue the program makes her most proud.
“When ACT started, there were maybe three other adolescent [substance use treatment] programs in the state, but they all went away,” Wachter said. “We were the survivor, so there’s a lot of pride and happiness we could stay together and move forward because the kids deserve this level of treatment.”
Today, the program has 11 beds and is housed at the Youth & Family Services Center in Olathe. ACT is open to young people in Johnson County and throughout Kansas.
ACT provides safety, support and hope
Kansas Governor Mike Hayden (middle) cut the ribbon at ACT’s new building in 1988.
Isar Anderson is ACT’s Program Manager, leading a team of 24 employees who provide around-the-clock care and supervision for youth in the program. She joined ACT in 2018 as a behavioral health specialist, later becoming a clinician after earning her master’s degree.
ACT is a place where young people who are struggling can find safety, structure and support, Anderson says. Beyond treatment, the program builds hope and helps them recognize their own resilience.
“You might be the only person in this child’s life that has shown them that you believe in them, that they can heal,” she said. “The kids have so much potential in them, and they just need one person to tell them they have it and show them how to tap into it.”
Each morning at ACT starts with a community meeting where clients set daily goals, then work with their treatment team to achieve them. They attend individual and group therapy sessions throughout the day, and a teacher from Olathe Public Schools provides on-site classroom instruction.
There are community outings, like going bowling or getting pizza, and artistic projects, like making tie-dye shirts or painting recovery stones, that mark their progress.
Anderson says strengthening family connections is another key focus. ACT offers family therapy sessions to help caregivers and youth understand each other and rebuild trust.
“We give [youth] tools, but we also give families tools, so when they go home, they can start a new chapter together.” she said.
Her goal is for ACT to continue expanding support for families after discharge through peer programs, support groups and ongoing education. “I want them to know they can always reach out to us.” Anderson said. “No one should feel alone when trying to understanding substance use, mental health or recovery.”
ACT is treating younger kids, seeing more potent drugs
Current and former staff gathered for a reunion in September to celebrate ACT’s 40th anniversary.
Kevin Kufeldt, Director of Addiction and Residential Services at JCMHC, first encountered ACT by chance in 2004.
“I was a grad student driving through Olathe looking for an internship,” he recalled. “I saw the building, stopped in, and all the lights were all off. The front desk said the power was out but told me to come back tomorrow.”
He did. Twenty-one years later, Kufeldt now oversees all of JCMHC’s substance use and residential programs, including ACT.
At the time, he knew nothing about substance use treatment.
“Perfect,” staff told him during his interview. “These kids will teach you everything you need to know.”
He says they still do. Over two decades, Kufeldt has seen major shifts in youth substance use, the biggest being younger ages of first use and more potent drugs.
“When I started, the average age of first use was around 16,” he said. “Now, it’s closer to 12 and a half.”
The rise of synthetic opioids like fentanyl has made youth substance use far more dangerous, changing the tone of ACT’s conversations.
“We’re not just talking about drinking or getting high,” he said. “We’re talking more about avoiding overdose and death.”
That means teaching families about harm reduction tools, like Narcan and fentanyl test strips, which JCMHC distributes. The agency is also investing more in prevention—educating parents, intervening earlier and addressing the root causes of substance use, such as trauma.
One mother’s journey to ACT and back
Hover says her son is living well today—he hasn't had a drink in 10 months.
Ten years ago, Laura Hover’s son began struggling with alcohol use. She noticed changes in his behavior, but didn’t know where to turn.
“You are completely lost, and vulnerable, and scared. Very scared.” Hover said.
When her son entered ACT, Hover says she slept well for the first time in a long time.
“I finally knew he was safe and getting help,” she said.
His recovery journey didn’t end there. He returned to treatment several times over the next decade, which is a common experience. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 40% to 60% of people of people treated for substance use disorders relapse.
Still, Hover and her son believe ACT planted an essential seed on his journey. That’s why she now returns to ACT to speak with current clients.
“Maybe they don’t hear me that day,” she said. “But if someday, something I said comes back to them, it’s worth it.”
Hover brings along pictures of her son throughout his recovery - some joyful, some during hospital stays or active addiction – to show the highs and lows of recovery.
She hopes their story helps youth in the program find their own path to healing.
As she reflects on why ACT matters, her eyes fill with tears.
“Because they’re kids,” Hover said. “They deserve every ounce of effort and help we can give them."
Adolescent Center for Treatment
The Adolescent Center for Treatment in Olathe is an 11-bed residential program for youth ages 12–18 dealing with substance use issues. Staffed 24/7 by clinicians, case managers and direct care staff, ACT offers a safe, trauma-informed environment to begin their recovery. The program accepts Kansas Medicaid, Block Grant, private insurance and self-pay with sliding-scale options for Johnson County residents. Visit jocogov.org/mentalhealth/act for more information about the program and referral details.