Key Staffer Leaving Position with the Lt. Governor's Office

Ren Mullinix, current key staffer with the Lt. Governor’s office, is leaving that position after almost three

Ren Mullinix, current key staffer with
the Lt. Governor’s office

years. This is his last week on the job for the State.

Many of the advocates and providers in the IDD community had a chance to meet and work with Mullinix as he worked with the Lt. Governor on KanCare related projects.

He was regarded by many as one of the more accessible staffers in the Administration; his particular interest in IDD issues was appreciated by those whom he came into contact.

His close work with our programs increased as Mark Dugan, Lt. Governor’s chief of staff, became assistant Secretary for KDHE and then assumed the role as campaign manager for the Governor’s reelection campaign.

Mullinix has accepted a position in Chicago with a national consulting group, working with various State governments around the country on a variety of issues, including health care administration.

New website for family members to report KanCare experiences

A new web site has been created for parents, guardians and families of people with intellectual disabilities to share stories about their experience with KanCare, the state of Kansas’ managed care program for Medicaid services.

The site, kancareddwatch.com, was developed and funded by a group of parents and families, and is intended as a place for people to share stories and anecdotes, read links to news articles about KanCare, and access resource information.  Anyone submitting stories on the site can choose whether his or her name and information will be visible to the public.

This will be the first central gathering point for KanCare stories from the intellectual and developmental disability community. The steering committee for its development is comprised of parents from throughout Kansas. Several moderators will verify posters’ identity and review content, to ensure a civil and authentic exchange of information.

The new site will be promoted in a variety of ways, but the first step is to encourage families to tell their stories. If you are an individual who receives intellectual/developmental disability services, a parent or guardian, or a family member who has been closely involved with the KanCare program, please visit kancareddwatch.com.


We need your help today!  We want to know how well KanCare is serving persons with I/DD. Please visit the site and help us discover the many stories we have not yet heard.

Home and Community Based Services Final Rule - Kansas Transition Plan

The draft Transition Plan for Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Settings is available online for public comment until July 15, 2014.

The Public Comment period will be open for 30 days to allow all HCBS consumers and providers an opportunity to provide input to the Transition Plan. The Statewide HCBS Compliance Transition Plan will include results of the provider self-assessment and plans to address residential settings based on the guidance provided by CMS on March 20, 2014.

Comments and Public Input on a Transition Plan can be submitted to KDADS during the comment period the following ways:

• In Person: HCBS Setting Final Rule Public Comment Sessions in June and as scheduled (click here for dates and locations)
• By Phone: 785-296-4986 or during provider or consumer calls (visit www.kdads.ks.gov for call times)
• By Email: HCBS-KS@kdads.ks.gov
• By Mail: KDADS, Attn: HCBS Programs, 503 S. Kansas Ave, Topeka, KS 66603.
• By Fax: 785-296-0256

Pending CMS guidance for day settings, the State will revise the Transition Plan to include additional guidance from CMS regarding application of the Final Rule to those settings.

The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services would like your comments on this Transition Plan before it is submitted to CMS.

Click here to view the HCBS Final Rule Kansas Transition Plan. 

The true costs of caring

The parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities often have to cut back on or quit work, and once those children reach adulthood they often have a limited earning potential.

Those income losses, plus the price of services can reach more than $2 million across a person’s lifespan, according to USA Today. These costs are on top of the typical costs of care for a developing individual.

Things need to change to bring down the costs for families and society, according to David Mandell, director of research for the Center for Mental Health Policy and Services at the University of Pennsylvania.

Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities need more job opportunities. There are many small success stories of individuals or small groups of people who are employed, but "we need to be more creative about thinking about employment on a large scale," Mandell said.

Families need more opportunities to stay in the workplace. "If we had more family-friendly workplace policies, we might see substantial change in the way families were able to manage the work-life balance when they had children with (all kinds of) disabilities."

Society needs to take the long view, he said. Spending money diagnosing and helping young children will probably save money when they are older, by reducing disability and improving employability. "We often talk about the cost of care, and we don't spend much time talking about the cost of not caring," he said.

Register Now for Upcoming Training

June 12^th 

ADAAA and what it means to you

The ADAAA applies to all private employers with 15 or more employees.  If you are a federal contractor or subcontractor you are subject to Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and if you receive federal financial assistance under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act you must comply regardless of the number of employees you have.

Participants will be able to:

1. Determine whether the ADAAA applies to their organization.
2. Analyze whether the organization’s employee handbook adequately informs employees about the ADAAA.
3. Identify the two categories of applicants or employees who qualify for a reasonable accommodation.
4. Identify three examples of applicants or employees who do not qualify for a reasonable accommodation.
5.   Identify the how a formal complaint is lodged regarding an employer’s failure to reasonably accommodate a disability covered by the ADAAA.

June 19^th 

HR Essentials: work life balance

Work Life Balance. Is there such a thing?  Half would argue it is possible and half would say it is not.  True work life balance can happen, it is up to you.  Attendees will learn to define Balance for you and learn strategies to organize your time and life to maximize balance.  All levels of staff would appreciate the tips shared in this discussion.

June 23^rd 

HSU Workshop: Communication: Who’s Listening

Effective communication with people with disabilities begins with an evaluation of attitude, power and prejudice. This session will have the participants examine the role that power plays in their interactions with those with disabilities and will give each an opportunity to practice new ways of understanding, listening and relating to people with intellectual disabilities.

June 25^th 

HSU Workshop: Ring of Safety

Ring of Safety: Teaching people with disabilities the skills to prevent abuse. People with intellectual disabilities are the most sexually victimized group in society. This workshop will look at causes and prevention strategies. We will look at the various skills needed to teach people with disabilities in order to reduce their vulnerability as well as discuss the reporting of abuse - how to take a report and how to make a report.

June 30^th 

Cyber Liability Training

Even if your agency doesn’t rely on the Internet to do business, you still have billions of pieces of valuable information to protect. Sales records. Client data. Donor data. Personnel records. Medical histories.  Inventory.  Passwords only go so far.

Learn exactly what cyber liability is, how it has evolved over the last decade, how it impacts almost every business today in some way, the extensive nature of the risks involved and how to protect your agency from compromised data security.  We’ll touch on the many regulations that govern corporate responsibility and look at some examples of recent claims and the aftermath. You’ll learn a bit about insurance jargon and coverage that will that help lift the fog around cyber liability.

July 10^th 

HR Essentials: Performance ManagementSystems

Performance Evaluations are a dreaded must, but they don’t have to be!  Attendees will review traditional models and share the concept of coaching models that increase employee participation and engagement while reducing the burden on managers.  Managers and executive would benefit from this session.

July 15^th 

Choking Prevention and Dysphagia Diets

The Choking Prevention and Dysphagia Diets training will provide participants with an understanding of the choking risks of individuals with developmental disabilities and prevention strategies. This training will enable staff to: 

• Develop awareness of the incidence of eating difficulties and choking among individuals with developmental disabilities
• Describe the eating and swallowing processes
• Describe the factors that contribute to a higher incidence of choking in individuals with developmental disabilities
• Identify red flags for choking and the agency reporting procedures
• Describe various diets and liquid consistencies used to address eating difficulties
• Implement techniques and strategies to assist individuals to eat safely and prevent choking
• Discuss protocol for techniques to intervene in choking incidents

July 24^th 

HR Essentials: Project Management at Work

Projects and tasks are mounting at a rapid pace while organizations continue to try to do more with less to ensure long-term viability.  Attendees will learn tips to structure tasks, manage projects, set reminders and most importantly improve communication skills to ensure everyone is on the same page.  All levels of staff would appreciate the tips shared in this discussion.

KanCare inspector general faces scrutiny

Kansas legislators with oversight of Kansas’ privatized Medicaid system called for special scrutiny of the person hired by the state to identify fraud in the $3 billion-a-year health care network.

Phil Hermanson was recently appointed as inspector general by the secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Hermanson previously worked in commercial real estate and has a background that includes a business backruptcy, personal financial problems, DUI conviction and campaign finance violations. 

Hermanson has no college degree or career experience in insurance, legal, accounting, health care, or law enforcement fields applicable to examining conduct of clients and service providers interacting with insurance companies.

“With an active FBI investigation into KanCare financial arrangements ongoing, it would have made more sense to hire an inspector general with appropriate academic and career credentials, in addition to a personal history that was above reproach,” Sen. Laura Kelly of the KanCare committee said to the Topeka Capital Journal. Read More…