In the fall of 2023, KCDD launched a first of its kind statewide Kansas Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) Health Equity and Outcomes Coalition, with the goal of convening self-advocates, families, and caregivers as well as Kansas state agencies and departments, healthcare professionals, researchers and providers from across Kansas. The coalition, through a series of workgroups, is developing an action-oriented blueprint aimed at ensuring our healthcare systems and partners in Kansas realize health equity for our I/DD population across Kansas. This coalition provides a new and innovative platform of stakeholder engagement and collaboration, advocacy and systems change to:

• Improve the quality of life and increase life expectancy of all Kansans with I/DD
• Address issues related to access to improving medical care access, expertise and training across all healthcare professionals and speciality areas 
• Address access issues as well as supports, services and disability-related benefits across Kansas’ rural, urban and suburban communities 
• Address disparities in health and healthcare delivery across our state for the entire IDD population 
• Enhance the workforce and establish a formal career ladder in Kansas for professionals, direct support providers (DSP), healthcare providers, etc. who support and work with the IDD community 

 

Gallery

Health Equity & Outcomes Kickoff, Fall 2023

 

Focus Areas

The coalition has four active workgroups that meet on a monthly basis to provide input and feedback on how to improve health systems for individuals with I/DD, their families, and healthcare providers. The workgroups include: 

Pediatric to Adult Clinical Care 

The goal of this workgroup is to improve care coordination from pediatric to adult clinical care regardless of rural, urban, and suburban communities, increase the use of ADA accessible hospital beds, and simplify forms and administrative processes.

Inclusive Research

The goal of this workgroup is to promote research tools and increase I/DD participation across the spectrum, attract more federal dollars to support Kansas research, and increase Autism research.

Aging and the Caregiving Crisis 

The goal of this workgroup is to enhance resources for caregivers and guardians to navigate the system, create opportunities for aging in place, equity in retirements and quality/new housing solutions, Increase capacity, flexibility in the I/DD workforce and service offerings and training for DSP, family caregivers, etc. 

Behavioral Health

The goal of this workgroup is to work with state agencies to develop a 988 Crisis Hotline Training for callers with IDD, develop an IDD Behavioral Health Toolkit, including nonverbal training materials, and increase mental health supports for individuals with IDD. 

 

Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities’ (KCDD) Health Equity and Outcomes Coalition Membership 

• Advent Health
• Aetna Better Health
• Alliance Rehab and Medical Equipment
• Amgen
• ​​Assured Trust Company
• Autism Society - The Heartland
• Bert Nash Center
• CareSource
• Catholic Charities KC-SJ
• Children's Mercy Hospital Kansas City
• Community Health Council of Wyandotte 
• Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas, Inc. (DSNWK)
• Down Syndrome Innovations
• The Golden Scoop
• Institute for Advancing Medical Innovation 
• InterHab
• Johnson County Developmental Supports 
• Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training 
• Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care
• Kansas Department for Children and Families
• Kansas Family Support Center
• Kansas LEND, University of Kansas Medical Center
• Kansas State Physician Assistance Program 
• KU Center on Developmental Disabilities 
• KUMC Girls Night Out Program
• ​​L'Arche Heartland 
• Onward Kansans
• Optum Care
• Oral Health Kansas, Inc. 
• Raise Health Innovations
• Rush University Dept of Community, Systems and Mental Health Nursing and PATHPWIDD
• Sedgwick County Department of Aging and Disabilities
• Sedgwick County Developmental Disability Organization
• Special Needs Assured
• Special Olympics Kansas
• Sunflower health plan
• UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Kansas
• University of Kansas Medical Center (UKMC)
• University of Kansas School of Nursing
• We Care and Connect
• Whole Story Planning

 

For more information or to get involved, contact Allyson Mccain at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..