Empowering Lives, One Case at a Time
CMS Kansas provides tailored case management services for individuals and families in Johnson, Douglas, and Jefferson counties. Our experienced team offers personalized solutions in education, employment, health, and wellness, ensuring clients receive essential support. Contact us today to start your journey toward a more fulfilling life and see how we can help you and your loved ones.
Ranita Wilks Meets the Governor
Targeted Case Manager Ranita Wilkes recently had the opportunity to meet with the governor to discuss important issues concerning people with disabilities. Ranita, known for her tireless advocacy for individuals with disabilities, has been a valued member of CMS, Inc. for many years. We are incredibly proud to have Ranita as part of our team and commend her for her dedication and commitment to positively impacting the lives of those she serves.
Services we provide:
Person-centered Support Planning
Behavior Support Planning
IEP Attendance
Employment service referrals
Employment observations & recommendations
Community event referrals
Community support referrals
Home visits
LD Baseline testing
What is HCBS?
Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) is essential in delivering crucial oversight for a comprehensive and well-organized system of community-based supports and services specifically designed for individuals with disabilities residing in Kansas. The extensive range of providers includes a diverse and varied mix of private not-for-profit organizations, for-profit companies, and various governmental entities, all collaborating to meet the unique and specific needs of these individuals effectively. These essential services are delivered through six distinct programs, each thoughtfully tailored to address different aspects of care, support, and assistance for persons with disabilities, ensuring they receive the necessary resources to thrive in their communities.
HIGH IMPORTANCE
To: Parents, Guardians, and Family Members,
We are targeted case managers with Case Management Services, Inc. We are in eastern Kansas and service three counties: Douglas, Jefferson, and Johnson counties.
We are writing to express strong concerns that we have about the proposed new flat rates for IDD services, tier freezes, and the MFEI assessment. These concerns are not ours alone but are shared by every provider agency we have spoken with as well as the families of individuals supported by the IDD waiver.
Provider agencies have expressed to me that they will be unable to give raises, afford important training, and most urgently, make payroll if this is enacted. Some of our larger providers state that they will certainly need to close their agencies, leaving vast numbers of individuals without homes and the support they need — support that most families have waited 10+ years to obtain.
As targeted case managers, it has happened time and time again that an individual finally comes off the waiting list only to be met with no viable options for community support. We NEED the agencies we must remain in business. Additionally, we need incentives to encourage more agencies to open. No one will open a new agency if it doesn’t make economic sense. Tier freezes and flat rates do not make economic sense for our provider agencies.
We wanted to also address the MFEI. We have been told that the new assessment could take 2-3 hours. While the BASIS assessment is by no means perfect, we don’t feel that it’s fair to our individuals and families to take that much of their valuable time.
Life is hard and time is short. We are here to make things better for our individuals and their loved ones, not consume their day with unnecessarily lengthy assessments.
For more information, please contact your Targeted Case Manager or your local CDDO.
Thank you,
Case Management Services, Inc. Administrative Team
Meredith Funkhouser
Roxanne Hidaka
Quinn McCue
Laura Singer
Shannon Shelton