Kansas
Kansas GOP leaders fail to deliver enough funding to reduce disability waiting lists • Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — Republican lawmakers vowed to be “laser-focused” this session toward helping Kansans with disabilities receive state services but came up short of a disability rights group’s recommendations — even as they funded an opera house and a mission to the southwest border.
Finalized by lawmakers April 5, the state budget blueprint sets aside $45.8 million, including $17.8 million from the state general fund, to fund services for 1,000 Kansans who are currently on the state’s waiting lists. The money would be evenly divided between people with intellectual and physical disabilities and those who have physical disabilities, and would be available for fiscal year 2025. The amount is double that proposed by the governor, but still short of an advocacy group’s recommended funding.
Sen. Rob Olson, R-Olathe, said he was disappointed by budget priorities. Olson pointed to an $1 million provision for restoration of an opera house in Manhattan, as an example of spending that should be curtailed until the wait times are fixed.
“These kids need that money,” Olson said in an April 5 debate. “They need to be a priority. They haven’t been in this building for a long time. We help take care of them, but we don’t get enough removed off the list. I would like to see us make a plan for the next three or four years to knock that list down to nothing. … We haven’t really made an effort to knock that list down. And we’re making a big effort to get this opera house done. That embarrasses me.”
Also included in the budget bill was a $2 million allocation set aside for an “pregnancy compassion awareness” program to encourage women to give birth, and another $15.7 million to finance the deployment of state resources to help with Texas border control efforts.
The disability wait times have become one of the more-debated issues this legislative session as numbers reach a crisis level.
The latest data shows 7,661 Kansans currently waiting for services, with 5,279 people on the intellectual and developmental disabilities waitlist and 2,382 people on the physical disability waitlist. The budget bill would place into law a provision forbidding the combined waiting lists from exceeding 6,800 people.
Kansans who need help can wait more than 10 years for crucial services, such as in-home care. The Kansas Reflector previously examined how these long wait times hurt thousands of disabled Kansans and their families through a series of stories.
If enrollment trends continue along the same lines as last year, when 561 new people enrolled in the intellectual disability waitlist, the proposed funding wouldn’t be enough to stop the list from growing.
In September, House Speaker Dan Hawkins and Senate President Ty Masterson released a statement promising to address the waiting lists.
“Republicans are laser focused on eliminating Medicaid waiting lists to ensure the truly needy get the services they so desperately need,” Hawkins and Masterson said in their statement.
During a news conference on their legislative plans before the session, the two again said the waitlists needed to be addressed.
“We’ve got 6,000 on the waiting list right now, and certainly before anything else happens, that needs to be taken care of,” Hawkins said. “Those are people who have been on the list for years.”
“We want to make sure everyone has the ability to get off the list,” Masterson added.
The Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities recommended reducing the waitlists by 20% in fiscal year 2025. To do so, lawmakers would need to allocate enough funding to get 1,100 people off the intellectual and developmental disability waivers as well as 500 off of the physical disability waiver waitlist.
“The waitlists for the Intellectual/Developmental Disability and the Physical Disability Home & Community Based Services Medicaid Waiver programs have reached a crisis point,” reads the council’s statement. “Since KanCare launched in 2013, the IDD and PD Waitlists have gone from bad to worse to utterly out of control in Kansas.”
Sen. Rick Billinger, GOP chairman of a Senate committee, and one of the lawmakers tasked with shaping budget allocations, said he agreed with Olson, but said there was “only so much available.”
Billinger said the Legislature would look at addressing the lists again next year.
“We should have zero on the waitlist,” Billinger said. “Zero, that’s where it needs to be. I’ll guarantee you, I’ll do everything I can to take care of these kids. There’s only so much available there, but we need to do better.”
The state funding blueprint has been sent to the governor’s desk, where Gov. Laura Kelly will decide whether to approve or veto allocations in the $25 billion budget bill.
Nov 9, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Iowa State Cyclones defensive back Jeremiah Cooper (4) hits Kansas Jayhawks running back Devin Neal (4) during the fourth quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
Cutback Ability
The first thing you see when you watch Devin Neal is his ability to make decisive decisions as a runner. It allows him to see and find running lanes as they develop or while they are. It is also showcased when he breaks into the second level and is tasked with making a defender miss.
Speed
Neal can finish runs when in space, break off long runs, and find the endzone when given the chance. He shows whenever he is given the chance to be a receiver and already has momentum built up. With any touch of the ball he has, he can go to the endzone with his speed.
Receiving Ability
Neal has some drops on his film, he isn’t perfect, but he gets open when tasked with running a route. He does a good job of moving without the ball in his hands, and it allows him to be in a position to be a reliable receiver. Once he gets the focus drops out of the way, he can really find some nice receiving work in the NFL if given the chance.
Kansas State’s meltdown loss to the Stockers can be attributed to many on the team.
But it was coach Jerome Tang who was the center of the criticism Saturday night. This is the second time in the last three games where the Wildcats were outdone dramatically in the second half.
Oh my goodness I almost feel bad at this point. Get Tang out of town by Christmas morning.
— Cyclone Dave (@CycloneDave69) December 22, 2024
Kansas State stars Coleman Hawkins and David N’Guessan combined for just 15 points on 35 percent shooting. Meanwhile, David Castillo went 0 of 7 from 3-point range, contributing to a 28 percent shooting performance from the arc.
On the other end, Wichita State’s Xavier Bell and Corey Washington combined for 42 points. The Shockers collectively got to the paint and free-throw line very often Saturday.
“I saw this live,” one user said. “Competitive for 30 minutes, the Cats freaked out being down by 4 and couldn’t stop chucking threes and play horrible defense. Tang tries but this squad has no heart and grit. Soft. Fragile.”
I saw this live. Competitive for 30 minutes, cats freaked out being down by 4 and couldn’t stop chucking threes and play horrible defense. Tang tries but this squad has no heart and grit. Soft. Fragile.
— Zac Showalter (@zacshow58) December 22, 2024
Kansas State starts facing conference opponents next week, with their first Big 12 matchup against Cincinnati (9-1) Monday night. But honestly, most fans are ready to throw in the towel on the season already.
“I love this college with my whole heart,” another fan said. “Will always support the University but this is one of the worst starts to a season I have ever seen. This is not the standard we have built and something needs to change. The program should be embarrassed because the fans sure are.”
Jayden Armant is a graduate of the Howard University School of Communications and a contributor to Kansas State Wildcats on SI. He can be reached at jaydenshome14@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been pummeled with injuries over recent weeks. They aren’t alone in that predicament, however, as their Christmas Day opponent in the Kansas City Chiefs are currently dealing with their fair share of bumps and bruises.
Defensive tackle Chris Jones (calf), wide receiver Xavier Worthy (ankle), offensive tackle Jawann Taylor (knee) and linebacker Jack Cochrane (ankle) all went down in Kansas City’s win over the Houston Texans on Saturday afternoon, casting doubt on their collective statuses for Wednesday’s meeting with Pittsburgh in a short week.
Jones, widely regarded as one of the NFL’s elite defensive talents for the better part of a decade, sustained his injury in the fourth quarter. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid described it as a strain, and it’s unclear if he’ll be ready to go against the Steelers.
The five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro has recorded five sacks on the season to go with 30 total tackles, nine of which have gone for losses, and a forced fumble.
Worthy, who was selected with the No. 28 pick of the first round in the 2024 draft, posted a career-high six catches for 65 yards and a touchdown versus Houston. He departed with his injury in the second quarter before returning after halftime and remaining available from that point forward, meaning he’s likely good to go against the Steelers.
Reid also described Taylor’s injury as a strain after he was pulled in the third quarter of Saturday’s contest. The 27-year-old has held a spot on the Chiefs’ injury report since Week 13 with a knee issue, though he’s yet to miss a game both this season and throughout his entire six-year career.
Taylor occupies the right tackle spot and has made 15 starts this campaign. Kansas City’s depth has already been tested after left tackle D.J. Humphries was inactive versus Houston with a hamstring injury, leaving Wanya Morris and second-round rookie Kingsley Suamataia as the team’s most likely options at the two spots if the former pair of players can’t work their way back onto the field in the coming days.
Cochrane fractured his ankle, per Reid, which may very well end his year. The special teams ace logged a total of 306 snaps, mustering five tackles over that stretch.
The Chiefs are now 14-1 and have a magic number of one to clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC, meaning another win or a single Buffalo Bills loss would do the job.
Thus, Kansas City could adopt a safe approach by resting some of its guys and opting not to risk worsening the health of its players with such little down time before taking on the Steelers.
Pittsburgh, on the other hand, has seen its hold on the AFC North slip out of its hands following a loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday that has both teams sitting with a 10-5 record.
Though the Steelers have clinched a postseason berth, they are currently on a two-game losing streak and would ideally avoid slipping any further.
Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (knee) and wide receiver Ben Skowronek (hip) both suffered injuries against Baltimore while cornerback Donte Jackson (back), defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (groin), quarterback Justin Fields (abdominal), safety DeShon Elliott (hamstring) and wide receiver George Pickens (hamstring) all didn’t make an appearance with pre-existing wounds.
Pittsburgh needs to get off the schneid quickly, and the hope is that it can return several key pieces whom are currently on the mend for its bout with the reigning Super Bowl champions from KC.
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