- NON-PROFIT
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About
O’Connell Children’s Shelter is proud to offer a variety of services to support Kansas youth who are in need of assistance. We offer Residential Services including YRC 2 and Emergency Shelter Placements, and Qualified Residential Treatment Services. We have a licensed capacity to serve almost 60 children in residential care in five facilities located throughout Douglas County. While we support the idea that children should be raised in a family setting when safe to do so, we also understand the unique challenges some youth present and are well versed in caring for youth with severe behavior challenges, or extreme mental health needs.
Additionally, we offer prevention services; including truancy prevention programming, specialized case management, and intensive in-home services to help strengthen families and youth. We aim to be a premier program in our county and state at helping families remain safely together.
Finally, we offer services to families who want to foster or adopt. To this end, we can work with kinship families or foster families, and help support you in getting the needed licensure or home studies and background checks completed. This support then continues once placement has been made. We think you’ll find our individualized attention and experienced staff refreshing and able to meet the unique needs foster, kin and adoptive families have. We know foster families and kinship families are a critical link to caring for youth in the foster care system and our aim is to help you be successful so the youth are successful. -
Member Events
Friday Nov 28, 2025Your opportunity to see the amazing tree, wreath, and festive displays made by the Lawrence community to support O'Connell Children's Shelter. ...read moreFriday Nov 28, 2025Join us for the Final (Festive) Friday at Festival of Trees while enjoying the music of the Jazz Cigarettes. ...read moreSaturday Nov 29, 2025Your opportunity to see the amazing tree, wreath, and festive displays made by the Lawrence community to support O'Connell Children's Shelter. ...read moreSaturday Nov 29, 2025A great night out exploring the wonders of Festival of Trees while listening to the amazing Marvelous Mistletones! ...read moreSunday Nov 30, 2025...read moreMonday Dec 1, 2025...read moreMonday Dec 1, 2025...read moreTuesday Dec 2, 2025...read moreTuesday Dec 2, 2025...read moreTuesday Dec 2, 2025Get your picture with the best Santa in town while getting a cookie AND seeing all the wonderful displays at Festival of Trees! ...read moreWednesday Dec 3, 2025...read moreWednesday Dec 3, 2025Holiday Trivia by Brainville Trivia at Festival of Trees - compete for prizes for your knowledge or your best ugly holiday sweater. ...read moreThursday Dec 4, 2025...read moreFriday Dec 5, 2025...read moreSaturday Dec 6, 2025Santa breakfast before the Old Fashioned Christmas Parade in Downtown Lawrence at Festival of Trees. ...read moreSaturday Dec 6, 2025...read moreSaturday Dec 6, 2025Kick off your holiday season with the best party in town at the 39th Annual Festival of Trees! ...read moreSunday Dec 7, 2025...read more -
Whom to Contact
- Maren LudwigDevelopment DirectorPhone: (785) 843-2085
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