Kansas Mental
Health Coalition

KDHE, KDADS Schedule Public Forums on HCBS Waiver Integration Project

August 17, 2015 10:57 PM | Amy Campbell (Administrator)


August 10, 2015      For more information, contact:
Angela de Rocha, Director of Communications
Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services
785-806-7482

TOPEKA – Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Secretary Dr. Susan Mosier and Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) Secretary Kari Bruffett announced today a series of public forums to discuss integration of the state’s home- and community-based Medicaid waiver programs.

The forums are scheduled to be conducted in Topeka, Wichita, Kansas City, Coffeyville and Garden City. The agencies also plan to conduct one or more teleconference calls to discuss waiver integration, which will be announced at a later date.

“Our goal is to speak to Kansans receiving HCBS services to understand and address their frustrations with the current waiver system,” Dr. Mosier said. “These forums will provide Kansans who are on HCBS waivers and their families the opportunity to give input about how the waivers work for them.”

KDADS administers seven individual home- and community-based services Medicaid waivers for individuals with physical disabilities, developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injury and autism, those with a need for technology assistance, youth with a serious emotional disturbance and the frail elderly. There are a specific list of services provide under each individual waiver.

“A new 1115 waiver would allow us to establish an integrated set of services that would be available to all waiver recipients regardless of the waiver in which they are enrolled,” Secretary Bruffett said. “We want to move toward a system that no longer defines individuals by a specific disability, but rather by their needs and capabilities. CMS approval of a new Kansas 1115 Medicaid waiver would give us the ability to provide the right services to individuals regardless of their disability definition.”

Participants may RSVP for these public meetings at the following link:

http://www.kdads.ks.gov/commissions/csp/home-community-based-services-(hcbs)/hcbs-current-news

Details of the forums are as follows:

Tuesday, August 25
Topeka Capitol Plaza Hotel
1717 SW Topeka Blvd.
Topeka, KS
10:30 am-12 pm
2-3:30 pm
5:30-7 pm

Wednesday, August 26
Kansas City Hilton Garden Inn
520 Minnesota Ave.
Kansas City, KS
10-11:30 am
2-3:30 pm
5:30-7 pm

Wednesday, August 26
Wichita Marriott
9100 Corporate Hills Drive
Wichita, KS
10-11:30 am
2-3:30 pm
5:30-7 pm

Thursday, August 27
Coffeyville Sleep Inn & Suite
202 W 11th Street
Coffeyville, KS
10-11:30 am
2-3:30 pm

Thursday, August 27
Garden City Clarion Inn
1911 E Kansas Ave
Garden City, KS
10-11:30 am
2-3:30 pm

If a person with a disability needs a reasonable accommodation to participate in the call they should contact Laura Leistra at 785.296.4980 or by email atLaura.Leistra@kdads.ks.gov by Friday, August 21.



(c) Kansas Mental Health Coalition, P.O. Box 4744, Topeka, KS  66604  785-969-1617

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software