Dear Friend,
Mental health, stress, anxiety, and depression — these topics appear in the news almost as often as the weather forecast. Yet, we often discuss them only in brief sound bites about the nation’s mental health crisis, especially among youth. We hear statistics about self-harm, eating disorders, bullying, social media pressures, and more. But how often are we really talking about it? Too often, privacy concerns and fear of stigma prevent honest conversations and keep many from seeking help.
We can do better. Last year, Seton launched a pilot program called Seton CARES to provide free therapy and skill building classes for Jackson County youth ages 10-18. Now in it’s second year, the program is growing. This year, we would like to do more!
Event Details
Wednesday, April 29, 2026 8:30 am - 3:30 pm*
Registration Includes breakfast & lunch, copies of Stay, A Story of Family, Love and Other Traumas
& other trauma-informed resources.
Presented by Seton Center with the support of Mary Lew & Marcus McCarty.
Where
Kauffman Foundation
4801 Rockhill Road
Kansas City, MO 64110
Contact
Contact development@setonkc.org with questions or for more information!
Join us in kicking off Mental Health Awareness Month by sponsoring or attending Appearance v Reality: Unlocking the Closed Doors of Youth Mental Health, hosted at the Kauffman Foundation on April 29th at 8:30 a.m.
Together, we’ll go beyond surface-level discussions to explore what happens when we ignore mental health struggles—or when we finally open up and talk about them.
The event will feature:
- Candid conversation between Julie Fingersh, award-winning author of Stay: A Story of Family, Love and Other Traumas, and Susie Gurley, founder and host of The Just a Mom podcast
- Youth Panel with lived experience including suicidal ideation, eating disorder, self-harm, gender identity, homelessness and more. Hosted by Michael Duncan, Seton CARES Program Director.
- Cultural Moral Injury by local leader and speaker Bernadette Spooner Thompson Q & A with local behavioral health experts with lenses on how factors such as race, faith, gender, and generational poverty can influence mental health outcomes.
- Breakout sessions to include Mental Health First Aid, Conflict Resolution for Youth, CALM Training and What is Allyship?
We hope you’ll join us for this meaningful conversation and take part in unlocking the closed doors of youth mental health. Breaks will be offered for mindfulness and a reset throughout the day!
Warm regards,
Stacy Mayer
CEO
Presenting - $25,000
- Logo or Listed as Presenting Sponsor on marketing materials & signage
- Acknowledged from the podium
- 30 Tickets to Symposium
- Opportunity to include company swag in gift bags
- Social Media posts & website inclusion
- 30 copies of Stay, A Story of Family, Love and Other Traumas by Julie Fingersh
- Continental breakfast & buffet lunch for 30
Pathway - $10,000
- Logo or Listed as Pathway Sponsor on marketing materials & signage
- Acknowledged from the podium
- 20 Tickets to Symposium
- Opportunity to include company swag in gift bags
- Social Media posts & website inclusion
- 20 copies of Stay, A Story of Family, Love and Other Traumas by Julie Fingersh
- Continental breakfast & buffet lunch for 20
Growth - $5,000
- Logo or Listed as Growth Sponsor on marketing materials & signage
- Acknowledged from the podium
- 14 Tickets to Symposium
- Social Media posts & website inclusion
- 14 copies of Stay, A Story of Family, Love and Other Traumas by Julie Fingersh
- Continental breakfast & buffet lunch for 14
Nurture - $2,500
- Logo or Listed as Nurture Sponsor on marketing materials & signage
- Acknowledged from the podium
- 12 Tickets to Symposium
- Social Media posts & website inclusion
- 12 copies of Stay, A Story of Family, Love and Other Traumas by Julie Fingersh
- Continental breakfast & buffet lunch for 12
Seed - $1,500
- Logo or Listed as Seed Sponsor on marketing materials & signage
- Acknowledged from the podium
- 10 Tickets to Symposium
- Social Media posts & website inclusion
- 10 copies of Stay, A Story of Family, Love and Other Traumas by Julie Fingersh
- Continental breakfast & buffet lunch for 10
Individual Ticket - $60
- Single Ticket to Symposium
- Copy of Stay, A Story of Family, Love and Other Traumas by Julie Fingersh
- Continental breakfast & buffet lunch
Tentative Program Schedule
8:30 am Registration & Continental Breakfast
9:00 am Welcome & Introduction
9:15 - 10:00 am Fireside Chat with Guest Speakers Julie Fingersh & Susie Gurley
Julie is the best-selling author of Stay, A Story of Family, Love and Other Traumas. Susie is the
founder & host of The Just a Mom podcast
10:00 - 10:30 am Q & A
10:30 - 10:40 am Mindfulness & Break
10:40 - 11:30 am Lived Experience Youth Panel
Moderated by Michael Duncan and featuring youth with lived experience including suicidal
ideation, homelessness, domestic violence, eating disorder, and self harm
11:30 am - noon Q & A
12:00 - 12:30 pm Lunch Break
12:30 - 1:10 pm Cultural Moral Injury with Bernadette Spooner Thompson
Q& A panel featuring Youth Behavioral Health experts, including: Michael Duncan (Seton Center CARES program creator & Program Director), Jessica Doane (Resolve Counseling), Jonathan Ruiz, LMSW, bilingual (Spanish and English) outpatient child therapist at Swope Health specializing in child and adolescent behavioral health.
1:10-1:40 pm Q & A
1:40 - 1:50 pm Mindfulness & Break
1:50 - 3:00 pm Breakout sessions, including:
- CALM (Counseling on Access to Lethal Means) Training,*
- Conflict Resolution Overview for parents & caregivers
- Mental Health First Aid
- What is Allyship?
3:00 - 3:30 pm Q & A
Closing Remarks & Thank You for Coming!
Thank You to Our Generous Sponsors!
