Kansas

The NCHSD is a technical assistance partnership providing flexible, state-tailored technical assistance to states developing comprehensive health and employment service systems for people with disabilities who want to work. Serving people with disabilities, providers, state agencies, research institutes, advocates and businesses, NCHSD is a project of Health & Disability Advocates (HDA). Visit the Resource Exchange and Library for the latest information, events and reports.

This report provides a state-by-state analysis of how Medicaid agencies are exercising their responsibilities for mental health services. The report is based on telephone interviews and explores how state Medicaid agencies are addressing the organization, funding, policy, management and data issues that arise from increased responsibility for mental health services. Review the findings which indicated how States have taken varying approaches to providing services.

As part of the January 2008 Monthly ADRC TAE call, Dorie Seavey and Hollis Turnham presented the idea of worker registries. Supporting materials offer an overview of the concept and state examples. Also included is a two-page hand out that lists worker registry websites and offers and example of the database potential functionalities.

The national percentage of Medicaid spending on home and community-based services (HCBS) has more than doubled from 1992 to 2004. This report presents a summary of the main trends to emerge for the three Medicaid HCBS programs and the results of a survey of policies such as eligibility criteria and waiting lists.

This report provides information about family caregivers of older Americans and the state-level programs serving them. The profiles provide information on state demographics and programs related to caregiving. They offer a snapshot of each state's caregiver support programs, services offered, funding sources, eligibility criteria, and options for consumer direction. Also, information about locating grandparent support programs is included along with highlights of recent state legislation.

The brief reports findings of a survey to assess how many Kansas Working Healthy Medicaid Buy-In participants would likely increase their employment and earnings under a gradual Social Security Disability Insurance offset program. 25% of the respondents would try to work and earn more if this program was available and 25% maybe would do so. Researchers suggest benefit offset programs coupled with existing Medicaid Buy-In programs have potential to increase employment and earnings for people.

The Medicaid Infrastructure Grant Research Assistance to States (MIG-RATS) Center launched a website to provide resources and support to states implementing MIGs. The website is designed to help staff find research reports and resources, learn about MIG-RATS activities and initiatives, and connect with MIG researchers. The website includes info on topics such as Medicaid Buy-In programs, outreach and marketing, and youth in transition and also provides links to tools and a calendar of events.

The annual 50-state survey of state officials on Medicaid and state budget actions reports enrollment in Medicaid declined. This decline was driven primarily by two factors. States reported new citizenship documentation requirements were causing delays in processing applications, affecting individuals already eligible for the program. State officials also cited good economy and lower unemployment for reducing enrollment. 42 states expect to expand coverage to the uninsured in the next year.

This memorandum and tables present data on Medicaid 1915(c) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver expenditures from Federal Fiscal Years 2001 through 2006. Each HCBS waiver is classified by population served in order to show the distribution of HCBS waiver expenditures across long term care populations. This year's memo also identifies which waivers exclusively serve children.

Working Healthy, the Kansas MIG program, offers people with disabilities who are working or interested in working the opportunity to get or keep Medicaid coverage while on the job. The website offers an interactive map of benefit specialist, a chart on premiums (SRS Form ES-3165) , information on Work Opportunities Reward Kansans (WORK), publications, and FAQs. Also review their brochure in English and Spanish and their one page fact sheet used for outreach.