Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities

06/02/2026

Hello everyone- Whit here.

I am SO excited to finally share this news!

Last week, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) announced the recipients of the Kansas Rural Health Transformation Program grants, and I am incredibly proud to share that KCDD was awarded $1,460,000 to help bring the START (Systemic, Therapeutic, Assessment, Resources, and Treatment) model to Kansas!

This funding will allow KCDD to partner with Mental Health America of South Central Kansas and two rural Community Developmental Disability Organizations to pilot START! START is an evidence-based model designed specifically to support people with IDD who also have mental health needs.

For far too long, people with IDD experiencing a mental health crisis have fallen through the cracks. Too often, families, providers, and individuals have struggled to find supports that truly understand the unique intersection of developmental disabilities and mental health. START changes that.

The START model focuses on crisis prevention, early intervention, community-based support, and helping people get the right help before a crisis escalates. It brings together individuals, families, providers, and systems to create better outcomes and stronger supports.

As someone who lives with both Autism and serious mental health challenges, this grant means SO much to me personally. I know what it feels like to need support and not know where to turn. I know what it feels like when systems aren't built with people like us in mind. This investment gives me so much hope!

This is more than a grant. It is an opportunity to build a Kansas where people with IDD and mental health needs are seen, understood, supported, and given every opportunity to thrive in their communities.

I also want to give a huge shoutout to Allyson, KCDD's Deputy Director, who poured countless hours into developing this grant application. Her leadership, vision, persistence, and hard work helped make this opportunity possible. We are incredibly grateful for everything she did to bring this project across the finish line.

Today, I'm feeling grateful, hopeful, and excited for what comes next.

The future is brighter when we invest in people!!!

[Picture Description: A navy blue background with a picture of KCDD staff + Council Members. The text on the image reads as follows: Exciting news: KCDD awarded $1.46 million bringing the START model to Kansas!]

06/02/2026

The Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence (KCSDV) is offering Building a Better Toolbox: Tools for Supporting Crime Victims with Disabilities, a training opportunity for service providers, advocates, law enforcement, and other professionals who often want to respond effectively but may lack the practical tools needed to support survivors with a wide range of disabilities.

When: July 21, 2026 from 09:00 AM - 04:00 PM

Where: Lawrence, Kansas

Registration Deadline: July 14, 2026

Find out more and register at https://kcsdv.coalitionmanager.org/eventmanager/trainingevent/details/257

[Image description: Banner with a blue bar on the left with photo of presenter, a white woman with brown hair wearing a black jacket over a blue top, and at the right is a white section with the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence logo + details about the training opportunity]

06/01/2026

🎤 Ready to SPEAK Up?! 🎉

Join self-advocates, parents, caregivers, and professionals from across Kansas for an exciting conference full of:
💡 Learning
🤝 Friendship
🗣️ Advocacy
🎉 Fun

SPEAK Up is a place where people can come together to learn from self-advocates, share experiences, build leadership skills, and make a difference in our communities. 💙

♿ Accessibility supports and travel assistance are available as needed, so more people can participate and feel included here: https://form.jotform.com/260894462960164

We can’t wait to see everyone together again!

📣 Registration is officially OPEN! Register at https://form.jotform.com/260695890287170



[Image description: Flyer image with a photo of attendees in a large room with the SPEAK up logo + text details about the event and partner logos]

06/01/2026

Happy Monday! We All Matter (WAM) happens on Friday at 4:30pm. WAM is a support group where we provide an environment of empowerment and inclusion so that people with I/DD can meet others who understand their journey.

Our group connects participants with mental health professionals and offers a safe space to share experiences, learn new coping strategies, and access helpful resources.

Get the connection information at https://bit.ly/kcddWAM

[Image description: White banner with various colored icons at the right + text on the left: WE ALL MATTER a mental health support group for people with IDD
First Friday of each month, from 4:30-5:30pm via Zoom]

05/29/2026

One Week until We All Matter!

We All Matter is a peer support group by and for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Together, we talk about life, feelings, mental health, and remind each other that we’re not alone!

Get the Zoom link at https://bit.ly/kcddWAM

[Image description: White banner with various colored icons at the right + text on the left: WE ALL MATTER
a mental health support group for people with IDD
First Friday of each month, from 4:30-5:30pm via Zoom]

05/27/2026

U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) recently introduced three pieces of bipartisan legislation to strengthen and improve access to the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) program: the ABLE Tomorrow Act, the ABLE Match Act and the ABLE Direct Deposit Act. The legislation is cosponsored by Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).

Thank you to Senator Jerry Moran, Senator Chris Van Hollen, Senator Thom Tillis, and Senator Amy Klobuchar for introducing this important legislation!

Link to Press Release: Rhttps://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=E3EF80C7-87AF-4909-8A7C-5D5B407FD291

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) this week introduced three pieces of bipartisan legislation to strengthen and improve access to the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) program: the ABLE Tomorrow Act, the ABLE Match Act and the ABLE Direct Depo...

05/27/2026

📣 Registration is NOW OPEN for SPEAK Up! 🎉

SPEAK Up is a conference created by self-advocates and for self-advocates — and we also welcome parents, caregivers, and professionals who want to learn alongside us and support disability inclusion! 💙

It is a place to:
✨ Learn
✨ Connect
✨ Share ideas
✨ Grow as leaders
✨ Make your voice heard

At SPEAK Up, we talk about advocacy, disability rights, leadership, and building more inclusive communities for everyone.

♿ Accessibility supports and travel assistance are available as needed to help make the conference welcoming and inclusive for all attendees here: https://form.jotform.com/260894462960164

Your voice matters, and we hope YOU will join us! 🙌

🗓️ Register today and be part of this empowering event: https://form.jotform.com/260695890287170



[Image description: Flyer image with a photo of attendees in a large room with the SPEAK up logo + text details about the event and partner logos]

05/17/2026

The Girls Night Out (GNO) program at University of Kansas Medical Center is recruiting professionals to attend training and disseminate our intervention program for girls and young women with autism and related disabilities.

The next Certified Provider training will take place June 8, 9, & 10, 2026 at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, KS with a focus on training providers from rural Kansas (details below). This 3-day training series will provide instruction on the GNO-Teen© group curriculum and includes practice implementing key strategies and supports utilized within the GNO program.

Attendees will receive the GNO-Teen© manual and training handbook, access to online supplemental materials following the training series, modules and supports, as well as access to our GNO team to finalize certification via consultation as newly trained providers implement a pilot GNO©-Teen group in your community. We are now accepting applications to attend our upcoming GNO Certified Provider training. See the attached flyer for more information regarding the upcoming training and visit the Certified Provider Training tab on our website for additional details and FAQs.

GNO is partnering with KCDD to enhance access and services for teens and young adult women with autism and other intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD) in rural Kansas! As part of this initiative and funding from the KCDD, we are hosting a GNO-TeenÓ Certified Provider Training targeting professionals currently serving residents in rural Kansas with autism or other developmental disabilities.

Professionals that meet the GNO-Teen Certified Provider eligibility criteria* AND that provide services to individuals with ASD/IDD in rural Kansas can apply for a scholarship to attend the training at no cost and travel support. Complete the online application for eligibility and express interest in the training in June and rural scholarship. *Applications considered in order of receipt, confirmation of attendance, and maximum attendance is full.

Attendee eligibility criteria*
-Persons with a degree in the field of psychology, social work, special education, speech & language or a related field, including but not limited to: B.C.B.A., M.S.W., L.C.S.W., S.L.P., Ph.D., Psy.D.
-Professionals with experience implementing behavioral supports and interventions for individuals with autism and related developmental disabilities.
-Individuals currently in graduate or doctoral level training programs noted above and with experience can also be considered.

For questions, please contact GNO Program coordinator or director: Mallorey Beckloff [email protected] or Rene Jamison at [email protected].

[Image description: GNO Training Flyer with details about training activities registration]

05/15/2026

Check out this video that KCDD very own, Whit Downing created. What an exciting week we’ve had with Commissioner Rebecca Hines!

People from different backgrounds, professions, perspectives, and lived experiences came together with a shared goal: creating a better future for Kansans with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

The conversations were honest.
They were emotional.
They were solution-focused.
And most importantly, they centered lived experience.

Having a national disability leader here in Kansas, listening directly to self-advocates and families, was incredibly meaningful. Too often, people with disabilities are left out of conversations that directly impact our lives. This week reminded us what is possible when people feel heard, valued, and included at the table. Nothing about us without us!

At KCDD, we believe meaningful change happens when we work together, listen, and center the voices of those most impacted.

Thank you again to Commissioner Hines and to every person who showed up, shared their story, and helped move these conversations forward.

[Video description: Opening slide text: The Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities is PROUD to host United States Commisioner on Disability Services Dr. Rebecca Hines! Slideshow of photos and short clips from 2-day event]

05/15/2026

Whit and Lola here!

What an incredible two days for the disability community in Kansas.

KCDD was honored to host Commissioner Dr. Rebecca Hines from the Administration for Community Living (ACL) for both a statewide roundtable discussion and a community listening session with self-advocates and families.

Commissioner Hines leads national efforts focused on community living, independence, employment, accessibility, and quality of life for people with disabilities and older adults across the country. What stood out most to us was not just her leadership. It was her authenticity, compassion, and willingness to truly listen.

Over the past two days, we brought together a diverse group of voices from across Kansas: self-advocates with intellectual and developmental disabilities, families, legislators, educators, providers, disability professionals, and community leaders. The conversations were honest, real, emotional, and solution-focused.

At KCDD, we believe the people closest to the challenges are also closest to the solutions.

That belief was reflected in every conversation!

We talked openly about Kansas’ IDD waiver waitlist crisis, workforce shortages, economic empowerment, accessibility, community inclusion, employment, self-direction, and what it truly means for people with disabilities to live meaningful lives in the communities they choose.

Lola: “One of the most meaningful parts of today was having a childhood friend attend the event. 💛 It was such a special full-circle moment and a reminder of how important community and connection are in advocacy work.”

That is what this work is really about: people, relationships, belonging, and building systems where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Commissioner Hines shared that four values guide her work: transparency, scalability, health, and affordability.

Those values matter in Kansas, too!

Transparency means families should not feel lost while navigating complex systems. Scalability means solutions must reach ALL Kansans with disabilities... including those in rural and underserved communities. Health equity means people with disabilities deserve equal access to healthcare, mental health support, and opportunities for wellness. Affordability means disability services and supports must be sustainable and accessible for individuals and families.

We were also moved when Commissioner Hines shared her personal connection to this work through her nephew, who was born prematurely with cerebral palsy and has since passed away. Her willingness to share that story reminded us that disability advocacy is not just policy work. It is human work!

At KCDD, we are committed to partnering with leaders at the local, state, and national levels, in a bipartisan way, to create meaningful change for Kansans with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

Our vision is clear: A Kansas where all people with IDD have the opportunity to live, learn, work, play, belong, and thrive in the communities they choose.

Thank you, Commissioner Hines, for your leadership, your kindness, your vulnerability, and your commitment to listening.

And thank you to every self-advocate and family member who courageously shared their voice these past two days.

Your stories matter.
And your voices are helping shape the future.

[Image descriptions: Photo 01: Two women are seated behind a table, one woman is looking out at the audience, while the other woman is looking at another woman standing up and giving a speech with a paper in her hand. There is a painting with birds and flowers in the background.
Photo 02: A group of people is actively listening to the speaker, who is standing at the front. Three people are standing, while the others are sitting. There is a big black chalkboard wall in the background.
Photo 03: A group of people stands in a circle, laughing, talking, and smiling. A young man is wearing a white and blue striped shirt, and next to him is a woman wearing a black suit jacket. The Commissioner on Disabilities is seen holding a coffee and laughing alongside her friends.]