History

A history of Helping Children.....In 1998 a group of mental health professionals from Royal Oaks Hospital began the first of many fund raising activities to help raise money for children's mental health issues. The success of the programs gave hope and purpose to those who participated in them.

"For the Children" Foundation was formed with the goal of raising awareness and educating others about children's mental health issues. In order to plan more awareness events and activities, "For the Children" evolved into a fund raising organization and our first golf tournament was born.

Soon after the golf tournament, “For the Children” incorporated as a not-for-profit. We chose to partner with two organizations because of their similar focuses on children’s mental health. Our first partner, The Central Missouri Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Chapter, provides suicide prevention, education, training and support to families, schools and communities. Our second partner, the University of Missouri Center for Psychosocial Trauma, provides "Teacher's as Therapists" training and other programs that focus on training people in rural areas to work with children who have been traumatized by war, national disaster or domestic violence.

"For the Children” continues to support the mental health efforts of our partner organizations through our annual golf tournament, but our mission has also expanded . . .

In 2004, "For the Children" became the main fund raising arm of Midwest Behavioral Healthcare Management, Inc., the parent company to Royal Oaks Hospital and Pathways Community Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. Our goal continues to be children’s mental health fund raising, but the breadth and reach of our focus just got a lot broader.

The sky is the limit as far as we’re concerned. With so many children suffering from depression, suicidal thoughts and alcohol or drug abuse, we believe we can help create a future by bringing awareness to these children’s plights and by bringing resources into their communities.