We Are Not Fraud!
Posted March 7, 2012 by Mandy Smith in Advocacy
The House Social Services Budget Committee’s report on SRS and KDOA budgets stated “…there is considerable fraud and abuse in the system of Home and Community Based Services.” It goes on to state that this fraud, by Centers for Independent Living, is responsible for the Waiting Lists.
These statements seek to villify the Centers and the people who are working so hard for the disability community in Kansas. WE are the ones forced to tell people that although they are eligible for services there is an over-3-year-long waiting list. WE work with Kansans with disabilities on a daily basis struggling to change the misconceptions, provide education to the Legislature, and advocate for needed services to save the lives of Kansans.
SRS’ own testimony, audits, and cost studies show that Centers for Independent Living are good stewards of state money, there is not “considerable fraud and abuse”. It is time that we push back against an Administration and some members of this Legislature who continue to ignore facts and data and deny their own responsibility for the tragic situations that Kansans with disabilities are forced into now.
We are a Center for Independent Living, we are Kansans with disabilities, we are advocates, WE ARE NOT FRAUD!