Advocacy with KABC 101: Your Guide to Making an Impact

Libby Hastings • February 10, 2025

The Kansas legislative session is in full swing, making it the perfect time to engage with your lawmakers and advocate for policies that improve long-term care in our state. Whether you're a seasoned advocate or just getting started, knowing how to effectively communicate with legislators is key to making a difference.


We believe that every voice matters, and lawmakers want to hear from the people they represent. To find your legislator, visit the Kansas legislative website. When you visit www.kslegislature.org, there is an option on the left side of the website to “Find Your Legislator”. You may search by name, chamber, party, or select “Seach by Your Address”. This will lead you to Plural, a platform to find bill information and your local legislators by typing in your home address.


Tips for Effective Advocacy


Be Friendly – Legislators are people too! Approach them with sincerity and honesty. While time may be limited, be sure to focus on the issue you're there to champion.


Be Prepared – This is your chance to educate. Start with a clear, concise explanation of the issue, and provide only factual information.


Be Respectful – Not everyone will agree with your position. Some lawmakers may have concerns about costs, feasibility, or other factors. Treat them with respect, as they may be allies on future issues.


Be Direct – Answer questions openly and honestly. Share the full picture, including both the challenges and the solutions.


Ask for a Specific Action – Make it clear what you want your legislator to do. Common advocacy actions include:

  • Sponsoring a bill
  • Urging committee leadership to take action on a bill
  • Speaking for or against a bill during debate
  • Holding a public event to raise awareness
  • Writing a letter to state agencies about oversight and implementation of a law


Establish a Relationship – Don't just reach out when you need something. Contact your legislators regularly, thank them when they support your issues, and stay engaged. Building a relationship increases the likelihood they will listen when you advocate for change.


Say Thanks – Gratitude goes a long way! Always follow up with a thank-you note or email after a meeting, even if the legislator disagrees with your position.


Advocacy is about persistence, education, and relationship-building. By using these strategies, you can help ensure that long-term care remains a priority for Kansas lawmakers.


Want to learn more? Check out KABC’s full Advocacy 101 guide here. 

Understanding the Special Focus Facility Program

By Libby Hastings • April 21, 2025
Understanding the Special Focus Facility (SFF) Program: What Families Need to Know When Choosing a Nursing Home in Kansas When searching for a nursing home for a loved one, families often look for a place that will offer safe, reliable, and compassionate care. One important—but often overlooked—resource that can help inform that decision is the Special Focus Facility (SFF) Program , managed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). What Is the Special Focus Facility (SFF) Program? The SFF Program was created by CMS to address the most persistent quality problems in nursing homes across the country. Every nursing home that accepts Medicare or Medicaid is regularly inspected to ensure it meets health and safety standards. Most nursing homes will have a few issues identified during these inspections—typically six to seven deficiencies on average—but some facilities consistently fall far below acceptable standards. These nursing homes: Have twice as many deficiencies as the average facility, Have more serious issues , including those that cause actual harm to residents, And show a long-term pattern of poor performance over a span of about three years. Facilities like these may fix issues temporarily, but often fail to address the root causes—resulting in a harmful cycle of repeated violations. That’s where the SFF program comes in. How the SFF Program Works CMS uses inspection data to score nursing homes based on both the number and severity of their deficiencies. Facilities with the highest scores (i.e., the most and most serious problems) are added to a list of SFF candidates . Each state is allowed only a limited number of active SFFs at a time—currently, only 88 facilities nationwide can be enrolled in the program. However, CMS maintains a much longer list of SFF candidates that also meet the criteria but haven't yet been selected for the program due to space limits. Once a facility is chosen as an active SFF: It is inspected every six months instead of the usual once a year. It may face progressive enforcement , such as financial penalties or losing eligibility for Medicare and Medicaid. It must show real, lasting improvements to graduate from the program. A facility "graduates" from the SFF program only after it has two consecutive inspections (after being named an SFF) with no more than 12 relatively minor deficiencies and none at a higher severity level. If a facility continues to have serious violations, CMS may consider terminating its participation in Medicare and/or Medicaid. Why This Matters to Kansas Familie s Being informed about a nursing home’s history can help protect your loved ones. Facilities in the SFF program—or on the candidate list—have serious quality concerns. While some may be working hard to improve, others may continue to struggle with systemic issues that put residents at risk. As of March 2025, the following nursing homes in Kansas are included in the Special Focus Facility (SFF) program: Excel Healthcare and Rehab Topeka (recently closed) Access Mental Health (Peabody) The following facilities in Kansas are currently on the SFF candidate list : Clearwater Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Good Samaritan Society- Liberal Kearny County Hospital Long-Term Care Unit Legacy at College Hill (Wichita) Legacy on 10th Avenue (Topeka) Medicalodges Jackson County Medicalodges Post Acute Care Center (Kansas City) Meridian Rehabilitation and Health Care Center (Wichita) Riverbend Post Acute Rehabilitation (Kansas City) Tanglewood Nursing and Rehabilitation (Topeka) The following facilities graduated from the SFF program: Advena Living of Cherryvale Life Care Center of Osawatomie Anew Healthcare Oxford is a facility that is no longer participating in the Medicare and Medicaid Program. We encourage families to take time to research and ask questions when considering a nursing home. You can access the full national SFF and candidate list on the CMS website here . KABC offers free unbiased Consumer Information Reports on all licensed adult care facilities in Kansas, helping you make an informed choice when deciding between long-term care options. Final Thoughts The Special Focus Facility Program exists to push underperforming nursing homes to do better—but it’s also a signal to the public. When selecting long-term care, knowing whether a facility is on this list can be an important part of making the best choice for your loved one. If you have questions about how to find quality nursing home care in Kansas or want help understanding a facility’s inspection history, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team.

Advocacy in Action (April 2025): Legislative Recap

April 2, 2025
As we move further into 2025, we want to share an update on our legislative advocacy efforts this session. KABC remains committed to championing policies that protect and support older adults and individuals in long-term care. Here’s a look at key legislative developments and where things stand: