If you have questions or need clarification, please reach out to your student's case manager!
Supports and Training for Employing People Successfully (STEPS) is a state program through which persons with disabilities or behavioral health diagnoses can access meaningful employment opportunities without impacting their SSI or SSDI benefits. STEPS provides supports in the workplace that are meant to help persons with disabilities gain and maintain meaningful employment. STEPS also provides independent living training and transportation (as long as it relates to either independent living or job training).
Eligibility:
Age 16 and older
Must have documented behavioral health diagnosis and receive SSI/SSDI benefits OR;
Have a physical disability, intellectual disability, or brain injury
Must be eligible for HCBS waiver
Important Links:
STEPS Main Website -- Main website with general overview of STEPS
STEPS Factsheet -- Outlines eligibility criteria, program benefits, and other facts about STEPS
AbilityKC is a local agency that provides educational, vocational, and therapeutic services for people with disabilities in many of the counties of Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska. AbilityKC provides a wide range of services, including employment and assistive technology assistance.
Eligibility:
Application and acceptance into AbilityKC programming
Important Links:
AbilityKC Main Website -- Main website with overview of AbilityKC
Admissions Forms -- This page has information and links to applications for all of AbilityKC's programs
Down Syndrome Innovations - KC (KCDSI) is a local agency that provides support to individuals with Down syndrome and their families through programming and support groups. The programming that KCDSI provides includes professional development for teachers, support groups for parents, support groups for siblings, and peer groups for individuals with Down syndrome.
Eligibility:
To participate in KCDSI activities, you must be (or be associated with/the teacher or caregiver of) a person with Down syndrome.
Many of KCDSI's programs are free, but there are some programs within KCDSI that require separate registration and payment
Important Links:
KCDSI Main Website -- Main website for KCDSI
Adulthood Services -- KCDSI resource page for adult services. At KCDSI, these services start at age 18.
Assistive Technology for Kansans (ATK) provides assistive technology for Kansans with disabilities who could use assistive technology to learn, work, play, and participate in community living safely and independently. ATK can provide short term loans of devices and it can work with K-LOAN to help fund devices for individual personal purchase.
Eligibility:
Resident of Kansas
Have a documented disability
Important Links:
ATK Main Website -- Main website with overview of ATK
ATK Core Services -- Website with overview of ATK's four core service programs: device demonstration, short-term equipment loan, AT reuse, and assistance in determining funding eligibility for both new and used technologies.
Regarding Work is an agency that is a hub for all persons looking for personal care workers and those who are personal care workers looking for employment. Anyone on either side can register at this website to be connected. This would be helpful for those who are self-directing their care.
Eligibility:
Sign up on the Regarding Work website
Subscription fee: free 24h trial, 1mo ($10), 3mo ($25), etc.
Important Links:
Regarding Work Main Website -- Main website with overview of Regarding Work
How It Works -- Describes the enrollment process, subscription fees, and steps to hiring
"The Brain Injury (BI) waiver is a habilitative/rehabilitation and independent living program with an emphasis on the development of new independent living skills and/or re-learning of lost independent living skills due to an acquired or traumatic brain injury."
Eligibility:
Age 0-64
Disability determined by Social Security Administration
Financially eligible for Medicaid
Have a documented medical diagnosis of a traumatic brain injury or acquire brain injury, signed off by an acceptable medical provider. Brain injuries due to chromosomal or congenital diagnoses do not qualify for the BI waiver. To be eligible under a BI diagnosis, the participant must meet the criteria for placement in a Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation Facility. To qualify under a BI diagnosis for ages four years and older, the participant must meet the level of care required for hospital placement. For ages 0 to 3 years, the participant must submit current brain injury diagnostic and treatment recommendations from the treating physician;
Have active habilitation/rehabilitation need for BI therapies;
Participants between the ages of 4 through 64 years must meet the level of care criteria based on the state-approved Medicaid Functional Eligibility Instrument (MFEI) completed by the ADRC.
Important Links:
BI Waiver Website -- Website with overview (including eligibility criteria) for BI Waiver
Application for BI Waiver -- PDF Application form for BI Waiver
Families Together, Inc. is the Kansas Parent Training and Information (PTI) & Family-to-Family Health Information (F2F) Center. They provide parent training for parents of children with disabilities starting at birth. These services help parents understand education, healthcare, and community services. They also provide training in how to advocate for your child with disabilities.
Families Together, Inc. provides all of its services free-of-cost. The services are available in both English and Spanish.
Eligibility:
Be the parent/guardian of a person with a disability
Important Links:
Families Together, Inc. Main Website -- Main website with overview of programs and services
Families Together, Inc. Services -- Overview of services available from Families Together, Inc.
The Kansas Special Health Care Needs (SHCN) program provides specialty medical services to infants, children and youth up to age 21 who have eligible medical conditions and persons of all ages with metabolic or genetic conditions screened through the Newborn Screening Program. This is a state program. SHCN does pay for part of the cost of services (it is the payer after insurance and Medicaid).
Eligibility:
Kansas residents
Meets the age requirements (based upon diagnosed condition)
Diagnosis meets medical eligibility
Meets financial eligibility
Important Links:
SCHN Wyandotte County Website -- Overview of SHCN in Wyandotte County
SHCN Kansas -- Overview of SHCN at the state level
The Whole Person (TWP) provides direct services and advocacy for Kansas residents through a wide range of programs including financial management services for HCBS waiver programs, independent living training, and assistance with applying for SSI.
Eligibility:
Have or be the parent/guardian of someone with a disability
Important Links:
The Whole Person Main Website -- Main page with overview of TWP and its services
Information & Referral Services -- This page details how to get in touch with TWP and how to use their call center to get more information and referrals for services.
Youth Transition Services -- Thie page details TWP's services as they relate to youth transition. These services includes classes and support groups for youth.
This national level agency partners with state agencies to provide support to families through targeted case management. They work with the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities (KCDD) and the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services (KDADS).
Important Links:
Support to Families KS -- This is the main page for Kansas. This page includes contact information for Supporting Families Facilitators.
Key Areas of Focus -- This page outlines the key areas of focus for this agency