Current Grantees
KS ABLE Roadshow
KCDD, KDADS and the Kansas ABLE Savings Program have teamed up to offer new resources for the IDD Community, Family Members, Caregivers as well as disability and provider organizations across the Sunflower State.
From April to October 2024, KCDD, KDADS and Kansas ABLE Savings Program offered both in-person Kansas ABLE presentations and small-group webinars aimed at helping individuals living with an intellectual or developmental disability (IDD) to save, invest and grow personal wealth by utilizing the benefits of a Kansas ABLE Account - across 50 Kansas communities.
For individuals with IDD who are currently on our Kansas IDD Waitlist in Kansas, we offered an opportunity grant of $100 for individuals who opened up an ABLE account and attended one of our roadshow sessions. We had 850 grant opportunities to support those individuals and families who have been on the IDD HCBS Waitlist.
Special Olympics Kansas
With the partnership and resources from the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities, Special Olympics Kansas has been able to greatly expand and improve our direct training to our Special Olympics athlete leaders to help them become better self-advocates. We have also taken steps to better equip parents, caregivers and coaches to assist self-advocates in their journey through on-going training and a general orientation.
We have implemented new programming for our athletes including an annual athlete leadership retreat. We have been able to expand upon staff training, usage of self-advocates to speak and table at events and youth summits for our Unified Champion School program.
Special Olympics Kansas athlete leaders, serving as self-advocates, also have had the opportunity to educate lawmakers in Topeka and their staff about the stigma faced by people with ID, and how high-impact and cost-effective Special Olympics programming in sports, health, and education can reduce discrimination.
Unstoppable Ministries
90% of churches in America do not have a disability ministry. Unstoppable God Ministries wants to change that. Our program is designed to equip ministry leaders and volunteers with tools and resources to best serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We are passionate about making places of worship an inclusive experience for those with disabilities and recognize the need for resources and encouragement to do so. The training program focuses on walking through the heart of disability ministry, classroom considerations to create an inclusive environment, and positive behavior management techniques. Through our program we are helping churches across Kansas create disability ministry programs, create inclusive opportunities in already established ministries, and restructuring the way churches are serving their congregations.
Down Syndrome Innovations
The Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities has partnered with Down Syndrome Innovations to complete trainings for employers, caregivers, and providers across the state of Kansas with information on how to prepare individuals with diverse abilities for competitive integrated employment and support them in the workplace. In the month of July, Down Syndrome Innovations conducted a virtual Caregiver Education Seminar for the National Down Syndrome Society that had 384 registrants represented from 42 states and nearly 20 countries!
The Apprenticeship Professionals Learning Network asked Down Syndrome Innovations to speak at a webinar to teach employers, sponsors, and intermediaries on how to include individuals with diverse abilities in Registered Apprenticeship Programs. This webinar had 108 registrants from various states in the US in attendance! The Kansas City Current also hired multiple individuals from Down Syndrome Innovations as Guest Service Ambassadors, where DSI staff trained their team on structures implemented to set individuals up for success on game days. This new collaboration branches from Down Syndrome Innovations' partnerships with the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals.
DSI's Employment Coordinator taught Levy Restaurants staff at the Kansas City Zoo how to utilize resources and create routines to ensure individuals maintain their employment. This is the second year Levy Restaurants has hired someone from DSI to work in Tuxedo Grill. In addition to this, Down Syndrome Innovations provided training during a staff meeting at Jack Stack Barbeque on how to support individuals with various abilities, as they recently employed an individual from DSI in a customized position as a part-time Lobby Attendant. Down Syndrome Innovations also worked with Chick-Fil-A Lenexa staff on how to problem solve various scenarios and support individuals that experience more barriers in the workplace. This allowed them to open up their Flourish Program to individuals that need additional support. Down Syndrome Innovations has assisted Chick-Fil-A in the program design and recruited several individuals since their partnership began a few years ago.
Down Syndrome Innovations is excited about the expansion of these trainings due to the support of KCDD, so more individuals with IDD can become employed in the community and everyone is set up for success!
Self Advocacy Coalition of Kansas (SACK)
The 2024 Conference was a success! For the first time, we filled the hotel and had to use an overflow hotel to accommodate all participants. Representative Ruiz opened the conference and has since reached out to SACK for information and opportunities for SACK to continue to be influential with policy-making. Over 225 individuals participated in the conference with activities each night, keynote speakers in the morning and during the luncheon, vendors lining the hallway with resources for individuals with I/DD, and a host of 16 Learning Sessions providing advocates with information. Our
thanks to KCDD for making this conference possible. We awarded twelve scholarships to individuals who were unable to afford the cost. Each scholarship recipient was asked to contribute towards the cost, if possible, but if not, full cost scholarships were awarded.
SACK participates on multiple statewide committees concerning Employment First, Sequential
Intercept Model, Supported Decision-Making, and others. The voice of the self-advocate is crucial to these efforts to make them useful to those who will benefit. In addition, SACK hosts a Statewide Zoom meeting every other week and has been increasing participation steadily. The call will also be used as a platform to discuss issues of importance.
KYEA
Twenty-four young adult leaders with disabilities attended the 2024 Kansas Youth Leadership Forum (KSYLF) from July 16-20 at Washburn University, Topeka. Themed “Blast Off! Launching the Leader in You,” the event empowered participants to embrace their unique selves and set future goals. Delegates from across Kansas engaged in leadership and advocacy sessions, including a mock debate led by Senator Brenda Dietrich, and a keynote by para snowboarder Kelsey Tainsh. The week featured activities like wheelchair basketball, a resource fair, and a Mentor Luncheon where delegates connected with professionals in their fields of interest. Two awards were presented: the Justin Cosco Award to Shane Lewis, a 2019 KSYLF alumnus, and the Spirit of Hope Award to Cathy Fitzgerald, a long-time volunteer. The forum culminated with delegates creating Personal Leadership Plans to guide their future journeys, adding to the 513 KSYLF alumni.