(Feb. 3, 2026) – Today, the Senate Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Services held a public hearing on the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services and announced the following agency adjustments:

• Reappropriations for the South Central Regional Mental Health Hospital
• Home and Community-Based Services, Federal Medical Assistance Percentage and HCBS Waiver
• Reduced the funds for counties and hospitals that were not used for the patient observation and transportation reimbursement program by $1 million in 2026 and $1 million in 2027
• Added funds for beds at Kansas Neurological Institute and Osawatomie State Hospitals
• Added funds for community support and technology waivers
• $69.5 million for rate increase for HCBS waiver providers

The committee will further discuss this in the full Ways and Means Committee.

Next, the committee worked on the budgets for the state hospitals with the following adjustments:

• Added $400,000 at KNI for cooks
• $32 million in FY 2026 and $10 million for contract staffing at Larned, with language for a two-day study on the Larned Sexual Predator Treatment Program
• $20 million for South Central Regional Mental Health Hospital

The committee noted that there may be additional ideas to address contract staffing needs at the full committee meeting.