equality

Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS)

By Mandy Smith | August 20, 2012

The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) invites you to attend one of the following informational sessions for people receiving services, family members/friends, providers, advocacy groups and others interested in the disability, aging, mental health and substance use disorder services we administer.  The purposes of these sessions are to provide updates and information…

Read Article

We Are Not Fraud!

By Mandy Smith | March 7, 2012

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…

Read Article

Sharon’s Story

By Mandy Smith | February 13, 2012

“The moral test of government is how it treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadow of life, the sick, the needy, and the disabled.” – Hubert H. Humphrey Reflect on those words for a…

Read Article

Update: What About the Waiting List?

By Mandy Smith | February 8, 2012

On February 1, 2012 disability advocates across the state began a concerted effort to contact the Governor’s office and SRS regarding the Waiting Lists for Home and Community Based Services. The Governor’s office and the SRS administration responded less than satisfactorily advising (after several off the wall suggestions) that the Waiting Lists for Home and…

Read Article

Legislative Session Begins

By Mandy Smith | January 9, 2012

  Today at 2:00pm the Kansas House and Senate will convene to start the 2012 Legislative Session. This promises to be one of the busiest, and maybe toughest sessions in recent years. All eyes are on the Senate as it is an election year for them and the coalition of moderate Republicans and Democrats that…

Read Article

Home and Community Based Services in Kansas

By Mandy Smith | December 12, 2011

Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) became an integral part of the lives of Kansans with disabilities and those who are elderly though legislation passed in 1989 (KSA 39-7, 100). This legislation provided Kansans who wanted to have choice and remain independent with the ability to receive long-term care services in their own home and…

Read Article

What’s at Stake

By Mandy Smith | December 7, 2011

  I talk to people a lot about the proud history of the disability community in Kansas. The progress that was made in the state by dedicated advocates placed Kansas in the forefront on disability rights. We have constructed a system that, while not perfect, works to empower Kansans with disabilities, helps them acquire gainful…

Read Article

The Olmstead Decision

By Mandy Smith | November 25, 2011

  Twelve years ago, the United States Supreme Court rejected the state of Georgia’s appeal to enforce institutionalization of individuals with disabilities and affirmed the right of individuals with disabilities to live in their community in its 6-3 ruling against the state of Georgia in the case Olmstead v. L.C. and E.W. The Olmstead Decision…

Read Article

I Am a Case Manager

By Mandy Smith | November 21, 2011

  I am a Case Manager, yet I do not manage cases, I work with people. My job is to visit people in their homes who have physical disabilities and complete an assessment to determine if they are eligible for a Medicaid program that provides long term care services to them in their own homes.…

Read Article

Community Integration

By Mandy Smith | November 14, 2011

  Community integration ensures that people with disabilities have the supports and services they need to live in their own homes in their communities. Centers for Independent Living (CILs) champion community integration and understand that when a community is truly integrated it then becomes the best possible community for all of its inhabitants. Sometimes we…

Read Article

Managed Care Coming to Medicaid

By Mandy Smith | November 10, 2011

Yesterday Gov. Sam Brownback and Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer unveiled sweeping changes to the Kansas Medicaid program. These changes were a part of the Governor’s “Roadmap” and took on one of the three big areas he wanted to tackle along with KPERS and Education. Beginning in January of 2013 all Medicaid recipients will be under…

Read Article

Advocacy Action: Town Hall Meetings

By Mandy Smith | November 4, 2011

The Big Tent Coalition and Kansans for Quality Communities are teaming up to bring Town Hall meetings to towns across Kansas. The purpose is to “discuss the impact of continuing budget cuts on vital state services and the ramifications of eliminating the Kansas income tax.” The Resource Center for Independent Living is working to ensure…

Read Article

Changes

By Mandy Smith | November 2, 2011

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…

Read Article

Kansans United

By Mandy Smith | September 19, 2011

  Last Friday a new advocacy group named Kansans United in Voice and Spirit held their first rally at the Statehouse. The turnout was good as far as such things go with a little over 250 people present on a cold and damp day. The group’s website states that they are “Concerned citizens of Kansas…

Read Article

Letters to the Editor Campaign

By Mandy Smith | September 14, 2011

The Resource Center for Independent Living is partnering with Centers for Independent Living(CILs) all across Kansas in a Letters to the Editor campaign coordinated by the Statewide Independent Living Council of Kansas(SILCK). I have drafted 9 sample letters for advocates and consumers to use as inspiration for their own letters covering a range of topics.…

Read Article

Home & Community Based Services Rally

By Mandy Smith | September 12, 2011

Saturday Sept. 10th dozens of advocates gathered at the Statehouse in support of Home and Community Based Services, independent living in Kansas for people with disabilities, and (although it was unplanned) Consumer Run Organizations(CROs) for people with mental illness. The Topeka Independent Living Resource Center and Kansas ADAPT sponsored and held the rally with speakers…

Read Article

Upcoming Advocacy Rally

By Mandy Smith | August 24, 2011

  On Saturday, September 10th Topeka Independent Living Resource Center (TILRC) and Kansas ADAPT are teaming up to host a rally on the steps of the Statehouse from 1:00pm-2:30pm. The Rally is in support for Medicaid Home and Community Based Services. These services are imperative for Kansans with disabilities to remain in their homes and…

Read Article

Advocacy Alert! April 28th

By Mandy Smith | April 27, 2011

Tomorrow April 28th, the Resource Center for Independent Living will unite at the Kansas Statehouse with Kansans for Quality Communities members to urge our Legislators to do what’s right for Kansans. You can read about this Action on the Kansas Health Institute site here. We will be spreading the “Save Our State” message which has…

Read Article

Rules of Engagement

By Mandy Smith | April 1, 2011

While walking one day you see a man standing at an intersection holding a white cane.  Does he need assistance?  Is he okay?  How does he know where he’s going? ASK HIM!  Just walk up, tap him on the shoulder and say in your normal tone of voice “Do you need any assistance? Are you…

Read Article

Visitability

By Mandy Smith | December 1, 2010

  Last summer I was going to have a birthday party at my house for my 1 year-old. I was so excited that I started all these lists to make sure everything was in order. I had a list of people to invite, a list of food to buy and prepare and a list of…

Read Article

Vote for What Matters

By Mandy Smith | October 26, 2010

When we go to the polls on November 2nd we have a huge responsibility not only to ourselves and our families but to our communities as well. Unfortunately, there is an entire portion of our society that is regularly disenfranchised by our government; they are the members of the disability community. While most of us…

Read Article

Make your voice heard

By Mandy Smith | October 21, 2010

The election is less than 2 weeks away and we are in danger of losing what we worked so hard to get in the last legislative session. As November 2nd gets closer it becomes more apparent that our next governor will be Senator Brownback. For the disability community this is a very scary prospect. He…

Read Article

Yes on 2 Campaign Protects Voting Rights

By Mandy Smith | October 15, 2010

Did you know that the Kansas Constitution sanctions discrimination against all people with a mental health issue? Probably not.  In fact, the issue had basically flown under the political radar until 2008. That’s when a group of mental health consumers and advocates learned that the state constitution allows the Legislature to take away the right…

Read Article