Kentucky develops community healthcare resource for adults with I/DD

People with intellectual disabilities can have a very difficult time accessing good quality healthcare. It’s not uncommon for a parent or guardian to be turned away by a physician’s office due to their child’s challenging behaviors. 

The majority of doctors have been trained on how to treat and diagnose illnesses, but that training does not include taking care of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The New York Times recently profiled one woman’s struggles with finding appropriate care for her adult son with intellectual disability, autism, and cerebral palsy. Read the article and watch the video HERE.  

In memory of Yolande "Yo" Childers Bestgen

Obituary for Yolande Childers Bestgen

Yolande “Yo” Childers Bestgen 66, passed away December 7, 2014 at Homestead Assisted Living in Garden City, Ks. She was born November 10, 1948 in Anthony, Kansas the daughter of Don & Alice (Vlcek) Childers. Yolande is survived by her parents Don and Alice Childers; sister Stacey King of Satanta, Ks.; and a brother James Childers of Huntington Beach, Ca.; three nieces and two nephews.

Yolande graduated from Garden City High School in 1966. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in communications from Fort Hays State University in Hays, Ks and a Master of Science Degree in Speech Pathology.

Yolande is remembered by family, friends, colleagues, politicians, government officials, persons with disabilities, their families, supporters, and advocates across the nation for her lifelong commitment to insuring that justice, equal rights, and access to services and supports become a part of the fabric of state and federal laws and policies and practices.

Ms. Bestgen began her career as a speech pathologist and assistant director of special education in Newton, Ks. She was noted for her work in Kansas as the Executive Director of the Kansas Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, (now InterHab) where she lead initiatives to significantly expand community services and reduce the waiting list for children and adults with disabilities through the enhancement of the Home and Community Based Medicaid Waiver. Her work informed the drafting and ultimate passage of the Kansas Development Disabilities Reform Act, a landmark law in the history of the state of Kansas.

Her success in Kansas, lead her to leadership positions in Washington, DC with the National Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, United Cerebral Palsy National and the President’s Committee on Intellectual Disabilities. She followed this national experience by holding key positions as Vice President for Strategic Development of Commission Accreditation Rehabilitation Facilities, and in leadership positions for nonprofit organizations in California. She concluded her professional life in early childhood services program management for the state of Texas. Her final commitment to helping others culminated in her volunteer, then employment in organizations providing support to persons experiencing cancer.

Yo’s life represented the truest commitment to supporting people with disabilities in living lives of independence and dignity. Among numerous honors, she was a Mary Switzer Scholar; a guest at the 1990 Presidential signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, served as faculty for the National Conference State Legislatures, served as Chair-Governor’s Task Force on Early Childhood Services and a Women in Leadership honoree.

She will be fondly remembered by all for her appreciation of good wine, fine restaurants, a boundless love of dogs, and her sense of fashion as a statement of her vitality and creativity.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 3, 2015 at the Community Congregational Church in Garden City with Rev. Steve Bridwell and Pastor Kelvin Heitman officiating. A private family interment will take place at a later date. There will be no calling hours. The family requests memorials given to the Yolande Bestgen Scholarship Fund in care of Garnand Funeral Home of Garden City.

Judge strikes down wage rule for home health workers

Last week regulations that would have extended overtime and minimum way pay to home healthcare workers were thrown out by a federal district judge.

For more than 40 years, businesses that offer home care services have been exempt from having to pay their employees minimum wage or overtime. However, last year the Department of Labor issued a new rule that takes away these exemptions.

According to an article by The Hill, The Department of Labor ruling determines that care can't be more than 20 percent of a home health companion employee's daily duties. Thus, allowing home health workers for the elderly and disabled to accompany their client after 40 hours a week, but not help them.

The Labor Department said it has 60 days to appeal the ruling, but starting Jan. 1 the revisions to the definition of companionship services will go into effect.

"The district court’s opinion did not address this regulatory provision," the department said in a statement. "Therefore, as of January 1, all employers of home care workers, including third party employers, will be obligated to consider the duties such workers perform in evaluating whether they must pay wages in compliance with the minimum wage and overtime requirements."

InterHab provides feedback on proposed I/DD waiver changes

InterHab provided detailed letter
commenting on KDADS
proposed waiver changes

Today InterHab provided the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services with feedback on the proposed renewal of the Kansas HCBS I/DD waiver. This detailed letter to Secretary Bruffett included comments on case management, eligibility, financial management services, personal attendant services, the required letter from doctors, and preserving choice in service settings.

InterHab urged the Secretary to address these concerns sufficiently before any final determination is made on changes to the Kansas I/DD service system that could have serious impacts on Kansans with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The organization also informed the Secretary that its members stand ready to work with the State to craft solutions to these concerns.

CLICK HERE to read all comments in the letter. 

I/DD advocates object to proposed changes in waivers for Medicaid-funded services

Concern is spreading that the proposed KanCare changes could lead to some Kansans with developmental disabilities losing access to the case managers they’ve come to rely upon for help in determining which services they need, applying for those services and making sure the services are provided.

“There is potential for significant disruption in how case management is performed in the state for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” said Matt Fletcher, a spokesperson for InterHab.

The proposed changes could eventually allow the managed care companies now charged with administering KanCare to take over the role now played by case managers.

This could lead to decisions which are now based on an individual’s needs, to be influenced by the companies’ need to turn a profit.

“If that’s allowed to happen, a lot of case management-type services that are available now will no longer be financially viable,” Fletcher said. “That’s a huge issue if you’ve come to rely on this individual.”

KDADS Secretary Kari Bruffett told KHI News that the concern is unfounded. “There are no changes in our DD waiver renewal, at all, that impact targeted case management or that would reduce the service that targeted case managers provide,” she said.

KDADS later provided clarification to the KHI article indicating that while no language existed in the waiver renewal document regarding reductions in services, language was included regarding a mandatory separation of case management and service provision due to conflict of interest concerns at the federal level.

In addition, there is also wide-spread concern about one proposed waiver for services for Kansans with developmental disabilities that would require all attendant care providers to be 18 years old and have a high school degree or GED certificate.

The current waiver allows care providers to be 16 and for some people this could lead to limitations and changes in their services.

The proposed waiver changes, posted on the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services website last month, are subject to federal approval. The deadline for submitting public comment is Saturday, Dec. 20

READ MORE

InterHab honors advocate & past president

InterHab honored Bill Craig, President and CEO of Lakemary Center, for his years of service to the Kansas I/DD field during the association's December 2014 Board meeting.

Although Bill is retiring from his position at Lakemary Center at the end of the year, he will always be a proud and active advocate on behalf of the I/DD community.

Watch his retirement speech here and congratulate Bill on his many accomplishments at Lakemary and InterHab!

Remembering Yo Bestgen

Yolande "Yo" Bestgen during her leadership at InterHab

InterHab is sad to report about the passing of Yolande "Yo" Bestgen, our friend, our association's leader from 1987 to 1993, and a nationally known advocate for persons with disabilities and community service organizations. 

She has traveled far and wide since she moved on from here, but she remained a friend of many of us, and a friend of this organization.

Yo gathered and synthesized the ideas, and the inspiration and dedication of the community service movement in Kansas, and, as much as anyone, invented the association we are a part of today.

She helped engineer the reputation that our predecessors developed in the Statehouse both in terms of tenacity, and collaborative spirit as well. It is not too strongly stated to say that during Yo’s years and the years that followed her tenure, she, through the association she led, helped shape every policy issue that counted for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and for the organizations which grew from the grassroots of Kansas compassion to serve those persons and their families in need.

Not everyone today working in the I/DD field may have known Yo or her role in nurturing our roots, but as we think about this good woman – whether or not you knew her – we should now think about her legacy, which has now been passed on to us.

Keep Yo's friends and families in your prayers, that they find comfort in their memories of her, her work, her heart and her legacy.

Spread the word!

The public comment period for the Kansas I/DD HCBS Waiver renewal application has been extended to December 20. 

Click here to access an electronic flyer you can share with other advocates to encourage them to provide feedback directly to the State of Kansas and the Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services!

This electronic flyer includes: 

• The 3 issues of concern on this topic

• How to share concerns

• A KDADS survey to collect feedback 

• Who to contact at CMS

Download and share today!