Children's Alliance of Kansas -- Legislative Advocacy

Legislative Advocacy

Child Welfare

Prevention - Continue to work with the legislature and the agencies of state government to support proven prevention initiatives including in-home services and early education as well as mental health services for young children. (Administrative and Legislative)

PRTF and YRCII - Continue to work with state officials and legislators to see that the necessary system improvement continues to be made and that this issue remains on the legislature’s agenda (Administrative and Legislative)

MR-DD Foster Care Services - This issue has recently surfaced and could have a very significant impact on but MR-DD youth and the foster families that provide those services. This issue is one that deserves legislative review and oversight. (Administrative and Legislative)

Serving Rural Populations - This session there will be a significant push from the President of the Senate to address issues of rural Kansas. It is expected that initiatives related to workforce and other topics important to the delivery of child welfare service could become a part of this focus on rural initiatives (Legislative)

Juvenile Justice

Emergency Shelter Case Management - Work with member agencies and partners in SRS and JJA to expand programming linkages between our case management services and intake and assessment. Work with JJA to secure grant funding for an expansion of services to underserved judicial districts. (Administrative and Legislative)

Mental Health

Mental Health and Behavioral Services - Work through the Mental Health Coalition and other venues to improve services to children and their families needing services from child welfare and mental health. Attention on this issue needs to be focused on services to families of children in care who are not Medicaid eligible. A starting point in addressing this issue would be for the state to establish a policy priority for this population. (Administrative and Legislative)

PRTF Diversion Waiver - Monitor the planning and implementation of the April roll-out of the Medicaid funded PRTF Diversion project. Seek opportunities for member agencies to utilize their expertise in assisting CMHC in developing community based alternatives for these youth. (Administrative and Legislative)

KDH&E

Monitor Enforcement Actions by the Agency - Continue to maintain a high level of communication between child welfare agencies and KDH&E around the issue of developing and implementing consistent and understandable protocols around enforcement actions. (Administrative)

Work with the Department on the Implementation and Training of the New Foster Care Regulations - The public hearing on the new foster care regulation will be January 8^th. After the hearing implementation is expected to follow in 60 days. The Children's Alliance and the Child Welfare Companies recommended that joint public/private agency training on the regulations take place across the state. The Children's Alliance will assist with the development of this training and monitoring its implementation. (Administrative)

Child Placing Agency Regulations - Continue to work with member agencies, KDH&E and SRS to complete the update of the child placing agencies regulations. (Administrative)

Children's Health

Oral Health Kansas - This group has been a leader in advancing issues of oral health for Kansans. Join with them in supporting initiatives directed at opening access to oral health care for the youth we serve through the development of dental hubs. (Administrative and Legislative)