Advocacy in Action (February 2025): KABC Testifies Before House Social Services Budget Committee
Libby Hastings • January 29, 2025
On Thursday, January 30th, Dan Goodman, Executive Director, presented testimony before the House Social Services Budget Committee. His remarks focused on essential recommendations for the Kansas Department of Aging & Disability Services (KDADS) budget, underscoring the urgent need for a Statewide Resource Guide for Older Kansans.
Dan’s testimony emphasized Kansas’s rapidly aging population, with projections showing that more than 20% of Kansans will be 65 or older by 2030. With state resources already stretched thin, KABC urged the committee to prioritize investments in solutions that diversify and enhance access to long-term care services across Kansas.
Highlighting the Statewide Resource Guide
KABC’s flagship recommendation was a comprehensive Statewide Resource Guide for Older Kansans, modeled after the highly successful Douglas County Senior Resource Directory. The proposal seeks $190,000 to develop and distribute a directory that would serve as an essential tool for older Kansans and their families. The funding would cover:
- Initial Setup & Information Coordination: $85,000
- One-Time Master Printing for Statewide Distribution (35,000 copies): $105,000
The guide would provide accurate, accessible, and up-to-date information on long-term care services and resources, with an online version that could be printed on demand. This initiative aligns with the Senior Care Legislative Task Force’s final recommendations and would empower Kansans to make informed decisions about care options.
Dan emphasized the proven success of the Douglas County Senior Resource Directory, which KABC developed with grant funding through the Douglas County Community Foundation. Since its launch, the directory has been accessed online by over 700 individuals and distributed to hundreds of older adults, caregivers, and local businesses. Expanding this model statewide would ensure that every Kansan—regardless of where they live—has access to vital information when they need it most.
Other Budget Priorities KABC Supports
KABC also backed several of KDADS Governor’s budget recommendations, including funding increases for:
- HCBS Frail Elderly Waiver Growth
- HCBS Brain Injury Waiver Growth
- Nutrition Services Incentive Program
Stay tuned for updates as we continue to advocate for these critical investments during the legislative session!
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Inside Kansas Nursing Homes: A Special Series Returns in Honor of KABC’s 50th Anniversary In celebration of Kansas Advocates for Better Care’s 50th anniversary, we are proud to reintroduce a powerful special series from our early days as Kansans for Improvement of Nursing Homes. Originally launched in the mid-1980s, Inside Kansas Nursing Homes: Through the Eyes of the Experts offered an unflinching look at nursing home care across Kansas, as observed by those who know it best: the relatives, friends, residents, and caregivers of residents. Now, nearly four decades later, we are bringing this vital series back, with the same grassroots spirit and commitment to truth. This first issue of Volume One marks the beginning of our updated report on the current state of nursing home care in Kansas, informed by the honest voices of frequent visitors who witness daily life inside these facilities. Since April 2025, we have been gathering recorded and transcribed conversations with individuals who care deeply about their loved ones in long-term care. These candid reflections are edited to preserve confidentiality—identifying details are removed, names are changed, and nursing homes are referred to by assigned numbers and regions. Mentions of facilities in passing are designated with alphabetical letters (e.g., Nursing Home A). Over the next year, we aim to gather insights on at least 40 to 50 percent of Kansas’s 305 nursing homes. Volume One of this series, covering roughly 40 homes, will be released in serial form over the coming weeks. Through these voices, we invite readers to reflect, question, and advocate, just as we did in the 1980s. Because meaningful change begins when we listen.