Changes

As we edge closer to winter, the leaves are changing and falling, the air is cooler, and the days are shorter. These are expected changes we prepare for each year. This year, Kansans with disabilities are experiencing many other changes.

There is a new administration in Kansas state government and in SRS, over the last several months words like “reform” and “managed care” have been making frequent appearances. There are also the not unexpected Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waiver changes that began yesterday after a somewhat confusing implementation process.

What does this all mean for you? In all honesty, we aren’t sure yet. There are certainly parts of the equation that we understand, such as Financial Management Services (FMS) implementation, but there are many more parts that have yet to be fully revealed.

The Resource Center for Independent Living has been a part of the dialogue from the beginning, offering our ideas, concerns, and opinions at every opportunity to do so. We have worked closely with other Centers for Independent Living and agencies for the disability community to form a strong, cohesive voice seeking to protect and ensure the rights of people with disabilities do not get overlooked in the demand to save costs and trim budgets.

Kansas has a long history of progressiveness in the disability arena, ensuring personal choice and the Independent Living Philosophy have been a part of our Medicaid programs and that Centers for Independent Living have a seat at the table when it comes to making decisions regarding the lives of people in the disability community.

We will keep working to ensure that Kansas remains a national leader in disability rights and we ask that Kansans with disabilities join with us. This blog has information within it of various advocacy efforts you can be involved in, such as writing letters to the editor, contacting Legislators, and others. If you are interested in receiving advocacy updates and calls to action from us please email me and I will add you to our contact list.

Changes are coming and it’s up to the disability community to ensure that our rights and our best interests are protected. For our part, RCIL will work to keep you updated on changes as we receive information, answer any questions that you may have, and continue to be a voice for Kansans with disabilities.