WRITTEN TESTIMONY PROVIDED TO HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS
SOCIAL SERVICES BUDGET COMMITTEE
Regarding HB 2067
Presented by Jennifer Schwartz
Assistive Technology for Kansans
March 24, 2003
My name is Jennifer Schwartz and I work for the Kansas
Association of Centers for Independent Living (KACIL) on behalf of the
Assistive Technology for Kansans Project (ATK). This project is funded through a federal grant awarded to the
Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities. The project collaborates with many agencies
across the state to create a statewide network of assistive technology services
and supports.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide written testimony
regarding HB 2067. Assistive Technology
for Kansans is in strong support of HB 2067 which establishes a statewide
independent living council into Kansas state statute. Statewide Independent Living Councils are important resources to
individuals with disabilities in our states.
The Statewide Independent Living Council of Kansas (SILCK) is responsible
for developing our state plan on independent living. The Mission statement of this plan reads as follows: Independent
living demands consumer empowerment, control, equal access, and integration.
The plan shall insure that there are civil rights in place for total
integration.
The SILCK does an excellent job of developing our State Plan
for Independent Living. They then work
to carry out the objectives stated in this plan. The development process brings a large group of consumers from
across the state together to identify the barriers facing people with
disabilities in our state. This plan is
then put into action and works to break down those barriers that Kansas with Disabilities
identified. This process works!
Recently, the SILCK took the lead and successfully advocated
in our state and worked with Social and Rehabilitative Services for the implementation
of the Medicaid Buy-In Program here in Kansas. Now, more than 500 Kansans with disabilities are participating in
this program and over 50% are paying premiums toward the cost of their Medicaid
coverage. Going back to work and not
loosing vital health services was a barrier to Kansans with disabilities, and
SILCK successfully worked on an answer for this issue.
In closing we would ask for your support in passage of HB
2067. The Statewide Independent Living
Council of Kansas (SILCK) is an outstanding resource for Kansas. The vision of
the State Plan for Independent Living in Kansas is to create and enhance an
inclusive community, which would enable Kansans to live, work and play in the
environment of their choice. This is
accomplised more and more everyday by the great work they do.
Thank you for your time and
consideration and feel free to contact me with any additional questions.
Jennifer Schwartz
Assistive Technology for Kansans
(785) 843-2324