Heartspring

For more than 13 years, we've had the privilege of serving Ty as a student in our Therapeutic School.

As the (unofficial) mayor of Heartspring, Ty kept a robust calendar of appointments with employees around campus and took his role of checking in on staff very seriously. Granted, he did this while watching Garfield and Christmas movies, but he was consistent in his feedback, telling everyone to "get back to work!"

As he transitions back home, we look back on his incredible progress, like communicating without a communication book, tolerating and eventually requesting hugs, visiting home for the weekend, and going on car rides — his accomplishments are far greater than we could ever fit into his appointment book

Like many of our students, Ty left his mark on Heartspring, and it won't be quite the same without him walking the halls.

Last week, 80 clinicians from across Kansas gathered for the 2026 KSKidsMAP Conference at Heartspring, focusing on strengthening care coordination, understanding what happens after referral, and supporting children with neurodevelopmental needs more effectively.

For clinicians, this shared understanding helps inform more confident referral decisions and helps families access services sooner.

We’re grateful to KU School of Medicine-Wichita, Kansas Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, KSKidsMAP, and the many speakers and attendees who contributed their expertise and time.

Bringing disciplines together around shared understanding helps improve coordination, access, and care for families navigating complex healthcare systems.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this important work possible.