Search our site
KUTC Partners
Krista Engel
Kansas Department on Aging
Anita Hodge
Kansas Health Policy Authority
Martha Gabehart
Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns
Karl Hockenbarger
SRS
Sheila Hollis
SRS Economic and Employment Services
Jeffery Schroeder
Kansas Department of Commerce
Lisa Koch
Kansas Department of Transportation
Blanche Parks
Kansas Department on Aging, Lifelong Communities Initiative
Tamara Tiemann
Kansas Department on Aging
Shannon Tullis
Kansas Department of Corrections
Devan Tucking
Kansas Division of Emergency Preparedness
George Victor
SRS
Mary Weathers
SRS (Kansas Early Head Start)
Pat Weaver
Kansas University Transportation Center
Click on the link below to view program descriptions.
The mission of the Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns is to promote a higher quality of life for people with disabilities. To do this we recommend policy changes to state laws and programs; provide technical assistance services, referral to appropriate entities; and conduct training about legislative advocacy, disability awareness, civil rights laws and accessibility. Its purpose is to involve all segments of the Kansas community through legislative advocacy, education and resource networking to ensure full and equal citizenship for all Kansans with disabilities. As established by statute, KCDC is empowered to:
The Kansas Health Policy Authority was created through legislation on July 1, 2005. It is a nine-member board, including health care, business, and community leaders appointed by the Governor and the Legislature, as well as six ex-officio members that include state agency secretaries. On July 1, 2005 the Authority became a state agency.
The Authority is responsible for coordinating a statewide health policy agenda that incorporates effective purchasing and administration with health promotion strategies. All health insurance purchasing by the State is now combined under the Authority, including publicly funded programs (Medicaid, State Children’s Health Insurance Program, and Medikan) and the State Employee Health Benefits Plan (SEHBP). The Authority is responsible for compiling and distributing uniform health care data in order to provide health care consumers, payers, providers and policy makers with information regarding trends in the use and cost of health care for improved decision making.
The Medicaid and HealthWave division of KHPA is responsible for purchasing health services for children, pregnant women, people with disabilities, and the elderly through the Medicaid program, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), and the state-funded MediKan program. On average, over 300,000 Kansas are enrolled in these programs and more than 240,000 Kansans receive these health care services through these programs each month.
Medicaid
Medicaid (Title XIX) is a federal/state matching funds program that is used
to purchase preventive, primary, and acute health services for low-income individuals,
children, and families. It also pays for certain long-term care services, like
nursing homes, for the elderly or people with disabilities. The federal government
provides approximately 60 percent of the cost of Medicaid services. In other
words, for every Medicaid dollar spent in Kansas, about 60 cents comes from
the federal government; the State provides the remaining 40 cents. Medicaid
is an open-ended entitlement for states. That is, as long as covered services
are provided to eligible beneficiaries as specified in the State Medicaid Plan,
the federal government must participate in sharing the costs of those services.
State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
SCHIP (Title XXI) provides health care coverage for low-income children who
do not qualify for Medicaid coverage. The federal government provides approximately
72 percent of the cost of SCHIP and the State contributes the remaining 28 percent,
as well as any excess spent above the federal allotment. Unlike Medicaid, SCHIP
is not open-ended; states are awarded yearly allotments.
Medicaid services are purchased through either a fee-for-service model or a managed care model. In the fee-for-service model, the State pays the provider directly. In the managed care model, the State pays a managed care organization (MCO) a monthly payment for each beneficiary. The MCO contracts with providers and pays them for services. SCHIP is provided only in a managed care model. Medicaid managed care and SCHIP are combined into a program, called HealthWave, designed to provide one seamless managed care option for families. Booklet of benefits, includes Commercial and Non-Commercial Non-Emergency Medical Transportation.
MediKan
The MediKan health program covers adults with disabilities who do not qualify
for Medicaid, but are eligible for services under the State’s General
Assistance program. MediKan provides limited benefits to adults whose applications
for federal disability are being reviewed by the Social Security Administration.
Health benefits include the provision of medical care in acute situations and
during catastrophic illness. Overall, the scope of services covered by MediKan
is similar to that covered by Medicaid, but a number of restrictions and limitations
apply.
Statutorily, the Kansas Department on Aging (KDOA) functions to meet the needs of the state's senior citizens. KDOA's mission is to use public and private resources to improve the security, dignity and independence of Kansas seniors, their families, seniors' caregivers and all Kansans living in adult care homes. In the area of transportation, KDOA's role is best defined as one of coordination and cooperation with the Kansas Department of Transportation. However, the Kansas Department on Aging administers limited transportation services provided in some areas of the state for Kansans age 60 and older with a small amount of Older Americans Act funding.
Kansas Lifelong Communities. The Lifelong Communities Initiative was started within the Kansas Department on Aging (KDOA) as a grassroots project to provide Kansans and communities with information and the tools for successful aging. The quality of life for people of all ages in the community is enhanced by having access to quality health care, an efficient transportation system, community based services and customer friendly business. Communities are requested to complete a self assessment tool in six Lifelong areas. One of the six areas is Transportation. According to assessment tool findings, communities will develop and implement action plans through various projects. Many of the Lifelong projects will address transportation issues in Lifelong communities. A Lifelong Communities Initiative highway sign will be presented to communities upon completion and certification of the projects. For more information, visit their website: Kansas Lifelong Communities.
Home and Community Based Services for the Frail Elderly. The Kansas HCBS/FE waiver program provides Medicaid eligible customers with the opportunity to receive cost-effective community based services as an alternative to nursing facility care, to promote independence in the community setting, and to ensure residency in the most integrated setting. Services are provided by entities that have enrolled with the Medicaid fiscal agent, and they are paid based on a fee-for-service basis. In State FY 2002, a total of approximately 8,200 persons were served at a cost of $57.5 million. Approximately 60 percent of the cost is paid through federal funds, and the remainder through State General Fund.
Kansas HCBS/FE services include adult day care, assistive technology, attendant care services – Level I and II, medication reminder, nursing evaluation visit, sleep cycle support, wellness monitoring, and personal emergency response system.
The HCBS/FE program does not provide transportation as a specific service but does allow time to be allocated for a caregiver to accompany the customer to medical appointments. Case managers usually direct customers to Older American Act (OAA)-funded transportation, Medicaid-funded transportation or informal sources for transportation needs.
To be eligible for the program, the customer must be 65 years of age or older, choose home and community-based services, have a functional need for the services based on the Long Term Care Threshold Guide of the Uniform Assessment Instrument (UAI), be financially eligible for Medicaid. To enter the program, service providers for the needs of the individual must be available. Enrollment in HCBS/FE services is subject to availability of funding for the program. Click on this link for answeres to frequently-asked questions about the HCBS/FE program.
Nutrition Programs
The Kansas Department on Aging administers two nutrition programs in order to
better meet the nutritional needs of the senior population. These programs are
the federally-mandated Older Americans Act and the State funded In-Home Nutrition
program. The Older Americans Act Nutrition program provides meals and nutrition
education services. The nutrition program has two components which are congregate
and home-delivered meals. The state-funded In-Home Nutrition Program provides
only home-delivered meals to individuals who are moderately to severely impaired,
and who are homebound.
Explore Your Options
This is a guide that contains information for older adults, including in-home
services and transportation providers. This one of many of the Department on
Aging’s publications and is available online. Link to Explore
Your Options guide.
Local Workforce Centers
The Kansas Department of Commerce administers a workforce development system
that links businesses, job-seekers, and educational institutions to ensure that
Kansas employers can find skilled workers. One component of the system is the
Department’s 25 Workforce Centers, which are located throughout the state
to help connect Kansas businesses with skilled job seekers in their area. In
addition, the workforce development system recently underwent a major restructuring
to further incorporate Kansas universities, community colleges, and technical
schools so that these entities can tailor their curriculum to the needs of Kansas
businesses. The result is a seamless, integrated network in which Kansas workers
receive job-specific training and Kansas businesses can find the well-trained
employees they need.
The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) is a federally-funded set of programs that serve adults, dislocated workers, and in-school and out-of-school youth. Programs for employment placement/retention, job training, and education-related training programs are delivered through Workforce Centers. To receive these services, individuals must be authorized to work in the U.S. Additional eligibility requirements apply for Dislocated Workers and Youth program services. WIA core services are available to all job seekers and include assistance in job search and job placement, assessment of skills, labor market and career information, and other similar services. If more intensive services are required, additional services are available such as specialized assessments, career and employment development planning, short-term pre-vocational training such as communication or interviewing skills, and GED training. If new skills are necessary, training services may be also available.
Community Development Block Grants
The Community Development Block Grant Program allows the Department of Commerce
to distribute federal funds to Kansas cities and towns looking to improve their
community. One of three national objectives must be met in order to receive
funds: 1) benefit to low- and moderate-income individuals, 2) removal or prevention
of slum or blight condition, or 3) elimination of an urgent need created by
a severe natural or other disaster when local funds are not available.
The Kansas Department of Corrections releases about 5,800 offenders each year from prison. A significant number of them do not have reliable or any transportation. We transport the offenders to the county of release, after which time they are responsible for obtaining their own transportation within the community. Lack of transportation hampers their ability to find and keep employment, attend meetings with parole officers, participate in treatment, access necessary services, and otherwise successfully function in the community. While there are many significant barriers that face returning offenders, transportation adds to the mix.
SRS Economic and Employment Services.
EES Work Program goals are to:
Providing support services, including transportation, helps to achieve these
work program goals. Flexible transportation spending is allowable since transportation
costs will vary according to the needs of each individual. Vehicle purchase,
repairs, insurance and vehicle registration costs may also be authorized to
support work program participation and employment.
KDOT Office of Public Transportation.
The KDOT Office of Public Transportation administers public transportation programs funded by the Federal Transit Administration and the State of Kansas. Both the Federal and State programs are designed to meet the transportation needs of elderly persons, persons with disabilities, and the general public. These programs are funded through the Federal Transit Administration and the State of Kansas. KDOT currently supports approximately 180 transit providers covering 99 of the state’s 105 counties. Visit the Kansas Transit Provider Directory for more information.
Section 5310 (Specialized Transportation for the Elderly or Disabled)
The Section 5310 program provides funding to private non-profit corporations
and associations of public bodies (local governments), in both urbanized and
non-urban areas, for providing transportation services to meet the special needs
of the elderly and persons with disabilities. Although grant recipients are
usually agencies which have a specific clientele, transportation services under
this program can be opened to all elderly persons, persons with disabilities
and the general public once the immediate transportation needs, as specified
in the grant application, have been satisfied.
Section 5311 (General Public Transportation)
The Section 5311 program provides funding to support rural and small urban (under
50,000 population) transportation projects that serve the general public. Funds
are available for both capital and operating assistance. A focus of the Section
5311 program is to coordinate transportation funding sources and systems, in
order to alleviate wastefulness created by duplication.
Section 5316 (Job Access and Reverse Commute Program)
The purpose of this grant program is to develop transportation services designed
to transport welfare recipients and low income individuals to and from jobs
and to develop transportation services for residents of urban centers and rural
and suburban areas to suburban employment opportunities. Emphasis is placed
on projects that use mass transportation services.
Section 5317 (New Freedom Program)
The purpose of this grant program is to develop new public transportation services
and public transportation alternatives beyond those required by the Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990 that assist individuals with disabilities with
transportation, including transportation to and from jobs and employment support
services.