Overview

Resources and information to assist families and educators when accessing community supports and postsecondary services.

Articles

• Help Your Student Transition to College
• How People with Autism Forge Friendships
• Skills for Independent Living: Parents Help Build Social Skills

Books

• Included with the End in Mind:  Integrating Efforts to Improve Outcomes for Youth with Disabilities
• Parents and Families of Students with Special Needs:  Collaborating Across the Age Span

Resources

• Accessing Community Supports and Adult Services:  Helpful Tips to Access & Navigate Systems
• Autism Speaks Transition Tool Kit
• Autism Emergency Contact Form
• Autism Training for Law Enforcement and Emergency Responders
• Autism Waiver
  • The Autism waiver provides support and training to parents of children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis to help ensure children with ASD can remain in their family home.
• CDDO / Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services
  • County Developmental Disability Organiztions (CDDO) are the single point of entry for an individual with intellectual or developmental disabilities or the family to obtain services through the developmental disabilities system in the State of Kansas.  
  • CDDO's determine if a person is eligible for Intellectual or Developmental (IDD) Services.
  • CDDO's provide information and explain available services and service providers.  Services may include case management, CDDO and State funded programs and behavioral assessments.
  • Every county in Kansas has a CDDO in which they are affiliated with, however, some services will vary in each county.
  • Use this website to learn more information about CDDO services in Kansas and where to go in your county to apply for home and community based services (HCBS) through the CDDO.
• Checklist to Assist Students and Families to Access Adult Services and Community Supports
• Family Information Guide to Assistive Technology and Transition Planning
  • Transition planning is always the key to effective transitions; this guide explores information specific to individuals using assistive technology. Free & downloadable.
• Guardianship
  • Fact sheet for frequently asked question about guardianship.
• A Guide to Preparing Your Child with a Disability for Life Beyond High School
• Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Consumer Access Guide
  • HCBS are waiver programs which provide services to individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities in their home and community instead of recieving care in an institution, such as a nursing home or state hospital.
• Independent Connection, Inc.
• KanCare
  • Kancare is the program through which the State of Kansas administers Medicaid benefits and health services.
  • Kansas has contracted with three health plans, or managed care organizations (MCOs), to coordinate health care for all people enrolled in Medicaid
  • There are 3 Managed Care Organizations which contract with Kansas (Sunflower, Uited, and Aetna)
• Lifeline Support or Affordable Communication
• Medicaid 
  • Use this website to learn about Medicaid services and to apply for Medicaid Benefits. Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) processes Medicaid applications
  • Medicaid is the funding source for many Home and Community Based Services
• Life Course Tools
  • Free, downloadable tools that support the rights of families and individuals accessing rights to live, love, work, play and pursue their life aspirations in their community. 
• Parent and Family Involvement Annotated Bibliography
• Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS)
  • Pre-Employment services are provided through the Department of Children and Family Service (DCF).
  • Pre-ETS allows opportunities for youth with disabilities to participate in work-based experiences with a goal of learning necessary basic skills to succeed in the work place.
  • Pre-ETS is available to students with disabilitiers aged 16-21.
• Social Security Administration
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program pays benefits to disabled adults and children who qualify and have limited income and resources.
  • Use this website to gather information on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and learn how to apply for SSI benefits
• Transition Teaming Strategies
• Transition Survey
• Vocational Rehabilitation Services
  • Vocational Rehabiliation services (VR) is tasked with helping individuals with disabilities to obtain gainful employment
  • VR is a service provided by the Department of Children and Family Service (DCF).
  • Visit this website to learn more about VR services and find a local DCF office to apply for services.
• Workforce Centers
  • Resource for job seekers to find the tools and training needed to build a successful career.
• Working Healthy
  • Working Healthy is the Kansas Medicaid Buy in program and serves people ages 16 to 64. Under the Working Healthy Program, students are able to work, earn and save more in assets and resources than under the regular Kansas Medicaid.
  • Work Opportunities Reward Kansans (WORK) is part of the Kansas Working Healthy program that allows Kansas residents who have a permanent disability to work and keep their health care.  WORK provides services to promote employment.

Websites

• Benefits.Gov
  • Information on over 1,000 government assistance programs to increase access to benefit information.
• Disability Rights Center
  • The Disability Rights Center of Kansas (DRC), is a public interest legal advocacy agency empowered by federal law to advocate for the civil and legal rights of Kansans with disabilities.
• Families Together
  • Families Together is a non-profit organization that provides support and information for families of children, from birth to age 26, with disabilities and/or special health care needs.
• Institute for Community Inclusion
• Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns
• Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities
• Kansas Legal Services
  • Kansas Legal Services provides legal counsel to Kansans with low to moderate incomes.  Kansas Legal Services provides many services, including helping individuals needing to obtain guardianship or navigate a denial/appeal process for SSI benefits.
• National Parent Center on Transition and Employment 
  • Pacer Center provides information on transitioning students from the school setting to postsecondary services and supports.
• Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
  • Transition resources which help agencies and service providers support youth with disabilities