Kansas currently has six waivers that are open to children. All are HCBS 1915(c) Medicaid waivers and all waive parental income. See this HCBS Waiver Page for information about Kansas’ programs or this Access Guide. Kansas also aligns its waivers with its privatized KanCare 1115 waiver, placing waiver participants in managed care.

In the past, Kansas charged a parent fee to waiver participant families who were not low income. It appears that Kansas is now only charging a client obligation fee, meaning only the child’s income would be counted in assessing or not assessing a client obligation fee. If the child has no income or minimal income, the client obligation is $0.

Kansas Advocacy Organizations:

Last updated 12/23/24

Programs in Kansas

  • Target Population: Children and adults who are medically fragile and use technology, particularly a ventilator, trach, or feeding tube.
  • Ages: 0-21
  • Levels of Care: Hospital
  • Income Waiver: Yes, the waiver is based on the child’s income only. Parent income is not counted.
  • Waiver Type: 1915(c)
  • Spots: 940
  • Expiration Date: 10/26/2028
  • Description from medicaid.gov: Provides medical respite care, personal care services, financial management services, health maintenance monitoring, home modification, intermittent intensive medical care, and specialized medical care services to individuals who are medically fragile or who are technology dependent ages 0-21 years who meet a hospital level of care.  This waiver operates with a concurrent 1915(b)(1) and 1915(b)(2) authority.
  • Online State Information: HCBS – Technology Assisted or Children’s Resource Connection
  • Official Federal Information
  • How to Apply: Contact Children’s Resource Connection at (316) 721-1945.
  • Waiting List: Kansas has 2356 persons with physical disabilities and 5342 persons with developmental disabilities on its waiting lists, but does not have a waiting list for children who are medically fragile.
  • Target Population: Young children with autism.
  • Ages: 0-5
  • Levels of Care: Hospital
  • Income Waiver: Yes, the waiver is based on the child’s income only. Parent income is not counted.
  • Waiver Type: 1915(c)
  • Spots: 82
  • Expiration Date: 3/31/2027
  • Description from medicaid.gov: Provides respite care, financial management services, family adjustment counseling, and parent support and training (peer-to-peer) services to individuals with autism ages 0-5 years who meet a hospital level of care.  This waiver operates with a concurrent 1115 authority.
  • Online State Information: HCBS – Autism
  • Official Federal Information
  • How to Apply: Follow the website application instructions or call 855-643-8180.
  • Waiting List: Kansas has 623 people with autism, 2356 persons with physical disabilities, and 5342 persons with developmental disabilities on its waiting lists.
  • Advocacy/Support Group: Autism Society of the Heartland

Also called HCBS – for individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

  • Target Population: Children and adults with developmental or intellectual disabilities, including autism.
  • Ages: 5+
  • Levels of Care: Intermediate Care Facility
  • Income Waiver: Yes, the waiver is based on the child’s income only. Parent income is not counted.
  • Waiver Type: 1915(c)
  • Spots: 9895
  • Expiration Date: 6/30/2029
  • Description from medicaid.gov: Provides day supports, overnight respite care, personal care service, residential supports, supported employment, financial management services, Children’s Integrated Community Supports (CHICS), enhanced care service, home and environmental modification services, medical alert rental, specialized medical care, specialized medical equipment and supplies, vehicle modification services, and wellness monitoring services to individuals with autism, intellectual disabilities, or developmental disabilities ages 5 or older who meet an ICF/IID level of care.  This waiver operates with a concurrent 1915(b)(1) and 1915(b)(2) authority.
  • Online State Information: HCBS – Developmental Disability
  • Official Federal Information
  • How to Apply: Contact your local Community Developmental Disability Organization
  • Waiting List: Kansas has 623 people with autism, 2356 persons with physical disabilities, and 5342 persons with developmental disabilities on its waiting lists.
  • Target Population: Children with serious emotional disturbance or mental illness.
  • Ages: 4-18
  • Levels of Care: Hospital
  • Income Waiver: Yes, the waiver is based on the child’s income only. Parent income is not counted.
  • Waiver Type: 1915(c)
  • Spots: 4,900
  • Expiration Date: 3/31/2027
  • Description from medicaid.gov: Provides attendant care, independent living/skills building, short-term respite care, parent support and training, professional resource family care, and wraparound facilitation services to individuals with serious emotional disturbance ages 4-18 years who meet a hospital level of care. This waiver operates with a concurrent 1115 authority.
  • Online State Information: HCBS – SED Waiver
  • Official Federal Information
  • How to Apply: Contact your local Community Mental Health Center.
  • Waiting List: Kansas has 623 people with autism, 2356 persons with physical disabilities, and 5342 persons with developmental disabilities on its waiting lists.

Also called HCBS – Traumatic Brain Injury

  • Target Population: Teens and adults with brain injuries.
  • Ages: 0-64
  • Levels of Care: Hospital
  • Income Waiver: Yes, the waiver is based on the child’s income only. Parent income is not counted.
  • Waiver Type: 1915(c)
  • Spots: 1445
  • Expiration Date: 6/30/2029
  • Description from medicaid.gov: Provides personal care, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech and language therapy, financial management services, behavior therapy, cognitive rehabilitation, enhanced care service, home and environmental modifications services, home-delivered meals, medication reminder services, personal emergency response system and installation, specialized medical equipment and supplies, transitional living skill, and vehicle modification services to individuals with brain injury ages 0-64 years who meet a hospital level of care.  This waiver operates with a concurrent 1915(b)(1) and 1915(b)(2) authority.
  • Online State Information: HCBS – Brain Injury
  • Official Federal Information
  • How to Apply: Contact your local Aging and Disability Resource Center
  • Waiting List: Kansas has 623 people with autism, 2356 persons with physical disabilities, and 5342 persons with developmental disabilities on its waiting lists.
  • Target Population: Teens and adults with physical and other health disabilities.
  • Ages: 16-64
  • Levels of Care: Nursing Facility
  • Income Waiver: Yes, the waiver is based on the child’s income only. Parent income is not counted.
  • Waiver Type: 1915(c)
  • Spots: 6898
  • Expiration Date: 12/31/2024
  • Description from medicaid.gov: Provides personal care services, financial management services, assistive services, enhanced care service, home-delivered meals services, medication reminder services, personal emergency response system and installation for individuals with physical disabilities, ages 16-64.
  • Online State Information: HCBS – Physical Disability
  • Official Federal Information
  • How to Apply: Contact your local Aging and Disability Resource Center at (855) 200-2372.
  • Waiting List: Kansas has 2356 persons with physical disabilities on its waiting list.

Additional Information

  • Kansas’ Technology Assisted Waiver has added provisions to make paid family caregiving allowable on a permanent basis. This includes paid personal care services up to 12 hours per day provided by a legally responsible person, as well as nursing care provided by parents who are LPNs or RNs up to 8 hours per day. Parents can only work 40 hours per week and cannot work overnight respite hours. According to their waiver application, “Personal Care Services may be used to pay parents of minor enrollees under age 18 or spouses of enrollees. Parents of minors and spouses must meet the provider qualifications for this service. For purposes of the waiver, relatives are defined as parents (biological and adoptive) of minors, and spouses of waiver participants.”
  • Kansas’ Brain Injury Waiver has also added children to the program and some paid parent caregiving. According to their waiver application, “Personal Care Services may be used to pay parents of minor enrollees under age (18) or spouses of enrollees. Parents of minors and spouses must meet the provider qualifications for this service.”