Resources


Advocacy

Disability Rights Center of Kansas (DRC): DRC is the Protection and Advocacy System for Kansas. DRC has attorneys and advocates who assist with disability rights legally-based advocacy matters.
Phone: (877) 776-1541

Families Together: Families Together, Inc. is the Kansas Parent Training and Information (PTI) & Family-to-Family Health Information (F2F) . Families Together, Inc. assists parents and their sons and daughters with disabilities and/or special health care needs. Families Together staff provide parents and transition age youth one-to-one assistance, training, resources and tools at no cost to families. These services are available in English and Spanish. No referral needed. Families whose child has any disability or special healthcare need (ages birth-26) can call or email and Families Together’s team will provide individualized assistance. Our mission is to encourage, educate, and empower families to be effective advocates for their children.

Charting the LifeCourse: Charting the LifeCourse is designed to be used for your own life, for your family members, or in the work you do. The framework and tools will help you organize your ideas, vision, and goals, as well as problem-solve, navigate, and advocate for supports.


Assistive Technology

Assistive Technology for Kansans (ATK): ATK connects people with disabilities and health conditions of all ages with the assistive technology they need to learn, work, play and participate in community life safely and independently.

K-Loan: K-Loan offers long-term loans to eligible borrows for assistive technology equipment.


Community Resources

Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns (KCDC): KCDC provides information to the public (communities and people) with disabilities on employment (work), school (to work or transition), home, play/community, youth issues and disability history.
Telephone: (800) 295-5232
Voice TTY 711
KCDC Disability Service Maps: KCDC provides what services are available in a particular area of Kansas.


Disability Services Resources

Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS)
Phone: (785) 368-6246

  • Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC): Charged by statute with providing the community-based public mental health services safety net. In addition to providing the full range of outpatient clinical services, Kansas's 26 CMHCs provide comprehensive mental health rehabilitation services, such as psychosocial rehabilitation, community psychiatric support and treatment, peer support, case management and attendant care.
  • Community Developmental Disability Organizations (CDDO): Community Development Disability Organizations (CDDOs) are the single point of entry for an individual or family to obtain services (i.e. targeted case management) through the developmental disabilities system in Kansas. CDDOs are responsible for determining whether a person qualifies for services, working with the person and/or the person’s family or guardian in choosing from service options and referring those persons to other agencies if additional supports are needed. It is recommended that the IEP team begin the discussion of accessing services earlier than Age 14.

KanCare and Medicaid Medical Benefits: Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), KanCare and the Division of Health Care Finance (DHCF) are responsible for purchasing health services for children, pregnant women, people with disabilities, the aged, and the elderly through the Medicaid program, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and the state-funded MediKan program.
KanCare: (800) 792-4884

Keys for Networking: Statewide Information Resource Center of parents and children who have severe emotional disorders.
Phone: (785) 233-8732
Facebook: @Keys4Networking


Disclosing a Disability

The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth with Disabilities: The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability (NCWD) for Youth website

Youth, Disclosure, and the Workplace Why, When, What, and How: Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor website.

Frequently Asked Questions About Disability Disclosure Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Online publication (PDF), Disability Rights Iowa.


Education

Kansas State Department of Education

National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT:C): National center provides secondary transition resources, effective practices and tool kits on a wide variety of transition related topics.


Employment

Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF), Vocational Rehabilitation (VR): “Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services are the cornerstone of our efforts to empower Kansans with disabilities to become gainfully employed and self-sufficient.”

Vocational Rehabilitation Services: Assists persons with disabilities in achieving competitive, integrated employment. Serve students with disabilities transitioning from high school to employment and independent living.

Pre-employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS): A set of services funded by Vocational Rehabilitation for students with a disability who are still enrolled in school.


Independent Living

Statewide Independent Living Council of Kansas (SILCK): Statewide organization of independent living centers of Kansas.
Voice/TDD: (785) 234-6990
Fax: (785) 215-6631

Transition Coalition: Provides professional development opportunities for secondary transition and college and career readiness of youth with disabilities and is a partner with the NTACT.

Independent Living Planning Tool

Transition Timeline – Passport to Independence: The Transition Timeline provides basic information on activities to assist a student in obtaining a career that will support them in life. This timeline is targeted to parents/guardians but can also be used by students and educators.


Postsecondary Education

Think College: A national organization dedicated to developing, expanding, and improving inclusive higher education options for people with intellectual disabilities.

College Autism Spectrum (CAS): An independent organization of professionals whose purpose is to assist students with autism spectrum disorders and their families. They specialize in college counseling (helping students find the right college) and work/career readiness (such as skill building for interviews, jobs and work skills).

Student College Resource Guide - PDF (from Navigating the Transition from High School to College for Students with Disabilities).


Reaching the Age of Majority

Age of Majority Brochure: basic information about Rights at Age of Majority for educators to share with students and families (English and Spanish versions).

Parent Brief - Age of Majority: Preparing Your Child for Making Good Choices: Publication of the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET) - webpage

National Resource Center for Supported Decision Making: Here, you’ll find information about the Right to Make Choices – the right we all have to make our own decisions and direct our own lives. - website


Student, Parents and Families

Families Together Inc: Parent Training and Information Center for parents that provides a wide array of services and supports for families.

Locations:
Garden City: (888) 820-6364
Topeka: (800) 264-6343
Wichita: (888) 815-6364

Building the Dream: Transition Services and the IEP - webpage, Families Together Inc.


iTransition: A web-based app where students will be provided a personalized draft transition plan after answering a brief survey.

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, United States Department of Education (USDE):
A Transition Guide to Postsecondary Education and Employment for Students and Youth with Disabilities (2017) - PDF

PACER National Parent Center on Transition and Employment: “Quality information on transition for youth with disabilities in a format that’s useful to families, youth, and professionals.”

For more information, contact:

Stacie Martin
Education Program Consultant
Special Education and Title Services
(785) 296-6855
smartin@ksde.org

Listserv info:

You can sign up for the Secondary Transition listserv at: https://listservp.ksde.org/Scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=SECONDARY_TRANSITION&A=1 or send an email to sreed@ksde.org with a request to join.

WebinarSecondary Transition Webinar Series (external link)
First Tuesday of each month
3:30 - 4:30 p.m.

Special Education, and Title Services Team

Director
Bert Moore
bmoore@ksde.org


Assistant Director
Doug Boline
dboline@ksde.org

Assistant Director
Brian Dempsey
bdempsey@ksde.org

Assistant Director
Kerry Haag
khaag@ksde.org

Assistant Director
Tate Toedman
ttoedman@ksde.org

Assistant Director
Dean Zajic
dzajic@ksde.org


Team Organizational Chart (PDF)
KSDE Leadership Chart (PDF)

SETS Team Pages

Main Team Page
Special Education
Title Services
Announcements
Fact Sheets
Kansas Integrated Accountability System (KIAS)
Kansas Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS) (external link)
Kansas’ Technical Assistance System Network (TASN) (external link)


1-800-203-9462
(Kansas Residents Only)
or
1-785-291-3097
or
specialeducation@ksde.org

Problems with this page contact:
Evelyn Alden
785-296-3868
ealden@ksde.org

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To accommodate people with disabilities, on request, auxiliary aides and services will be provided and reasonable modifications to policies and programs will be made. To request accommodations or for more information please contact the Office of General Counsel at gc@ksde.org or by 785-296-3201.