Kansas Racial Equity Collaboration Announces Learning Sessions

Examining racial inequities to grow understanding and create change for Kansas children

TOPEKA – Creating understanding through collaboration is the goal for the Kansas Racial Equity Collaboration, a statewide effort to understand the history of racial inequities in child welfare and how to move from controlling to supporting Kansas Black and Brown families.

“Black and Brown children are in the foster care system at double the rate they are in the population,” said Shanelle Dupree, DCF regional director. “And even more, data suggests that once these children are in foster care, they have worse outcomes and experiences.”

“Our hope is that by examining the history of racial inequities, asking tough questions and listening to uncomfortable answers, we as a state, may be able to more fully support Kansas families and children,” continued Abby Fry, CarePortal Regional Manager.

The Collaboration is a partnership between the Kansas Department for Children and Families, the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare, and CarePortal, created by The Global Orphan Project. Group conversations, both virtually and in person, led by nationally respected speakers will be the cornerstone of the Collaboration.

“We invite educators, medical community leaders, legislators, judges, attorneys and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) to take part in the sessions,” said Dr. Michelle Mohr Carney, Dean and Professor in the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare. “By the end, participants will have a toolkit that will provide them ways they can address racial disparities and advance racial equity in the child welfare system.”

The conversation will continue through a dedicated list serv. This information source will share on topics of racial equity for children and families, spotlighting progress, and continuing to highlight data and research to explain the need for action.  Sign up for updates here.

Register for the virtual sessions here, Kansas Racial Equity – CarePortal.

Four virtual sessions are scheduled followed by an in-person symposium, scheduled for April 15, 2022 at the University of Kansas.

Sept. 29, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Topics: Understanding the historical context of structural racism and current day implications. How we got here and a better path forward

Speaker: Haywood Burns Institute

Oct. 27, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Topic: Addressing racial inequities in child welfare. View from early childhood education

Speaker: Iheoma U. Iruka, Ph. D.

Jan. 26, 2022, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Topic Debunking myths around racial inequities in child welfare

Speaker: Panel Discussion

Feb. 23, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Topic: Forward movement: Shifting from control to support for black and brown families

Speaker: Panel Discussion

Hear more about the Racial Equity Collaborative from the people who will help lead the effort.

Tuesday, Oct. 5, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) plans to close K-39 from U.S. 59 east to K-3. Crews will replace the fill between pipes running underneath a bridge on K-39 and repair the driving surface. The closure will be in effect from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

 

Traffic should use alternate routes. Check KDOT’s updated traveler information website, www.Kandrive.org, for more road conditions and construction details. Persons with questions may call KDOT Area Superintendent Derrick Shannon at (620) 901-6550 or Public Affairs Manager Priscilla Petersen at (620) 902-6433.

 

 

 

 

KDHE Encourages Eligible Kansans to Receive Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shot

TOPEKA – Today, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment has authorized all COVID-19 vaccine providers in Kansas to begin administering the Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot to eligible Kansans following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) authorization this morning.

“We have over 2,000 COVID-19 vaccine providers across the state who are ready to provide the booster dose to eligible Kansans,” said Lee Norman, M.D., Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. “This booster dose will help protect Kansans who are more vulnerable for severe infection and hospitalization due to their position of working on the front lines, age or an underlying medical condition. It will take all of us doing our part by getting the vaccine to end this pandemic.”

The vaccine booster dose only applies to individuals who completed the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine series at least 6 months ago. Proof of previous COVID-19 vaccination is not required. The authorization does not allow for providing a booster dose to anyone who has previously been vaccinated with the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. Eligibility for a booster dose based on an underlying medical condition will only require self-attestation – a prescription or assessment from a health care provider is not required.

Eligible Populations

• People aged 65 years and older, regardless of a medical condition, should receive a Pfizer booster shot
• Residents in long-term care settings should receive a Pfizer booster shot
• People aged 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions should receive a Pfizer booster shot
• People aged 18–49 years with underlying medical conditions may receive a Pfizer booster shot
• People aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive a Pfizer booster shot, based on their individual benefits and risks. (Occupational or institutional settings are not specifically defined in the CDC recommendation, however, it is intended to include health workers, teachers, grocery store, workers, congregant settings, etc.)

The COVID-19 vaccine is the most direct path to ending this pandemic. Kansans who qualify for the Pfizer-BioNTech booster dose, please find a COVID-19 vaccine clinic visit Vaccines.gov.

Kansas DCF Announces Permanent Increase to Food Assistance Benefits

Temporary increase during pandemic to end Sept. 30

TOPEKA – Kansas Department for Children and Families Secretary Laura Howard today announced that Kansas residents who receive food assistance will benefit from a permanent increase in the maximum benefit amount beginning Oct. 1.

“Access to healthy food is a key component of a family’s well-being” Howard said. “This permanent increase helps us address food insecurity, especially among children, which has a positive impact on the overall health of our community”

The change is taking place due to the 2018 Farm Bill that directed USDA to re-evaluate the Thrifty Food Plan which is used to calculate benefits for food assistance. Through this year’s adjustment, the maximum allowable allotment increased to $250 for a household of one. The maximum allotment amounts for households the size of two or more also have increased.

Other annual adjustments also have been made:

• The gross and net income limits have increased this year
• The maximum excess shelter deduction is increasing from $569 to $597
• The standard utility allowance is increasing from $364 to $392
• The limited utility allowance is increasing from $247 to $286
• The telephone standard is increasing from $35 to $37
• The Standard Medical Deduction remains the same $175

Most households will see changes in their benefits for the month of October to reflect the annual adjustments.

Additionally, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) temporarily increased food assistance benefits by 15% from March 2021 through September 2021 due to the national public health emergency.

The temporary 15 percent increase ends Sept. 30 and will be replaced with the new amounts. Taken together, food assistance recipients will see a 10 percent increase from pre-March 2021 benefit levels.

The chart shows the Oct. 1 maximum benefits as well as gross income and net income limits for food assistance:

Household size	October 1, 2021 maximum benefits	October 1, 2021 maximum gross income	October 1, 2021 maximum net income
1	$250	$1396	$1074
2	$459	$1888	$1452
3	$658	$2379	$1830
4	$835	$2871	$2209
5	$992	$3363	$2587
6	$1190	$3855	$2965
7	$1316	$4347	$3344
8	$1504	$4839	$3722
Each additional person	+ $188	+ $492	+ $379

The minimum allotment is $20. All food assistance benefits are based on household size, household income and allowable deductions.

USDA provides shopping strategies and meal planning advice to help families serve more nutritious meals affordably through the following:

• gov (http://www.choosemyplate.gov/)
• Plan, compare and prepare (http://blogs.usda.gov/2013/03/28/healthy-eating-on-a-budget/)
• Team Nutrition Recipes (https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/team-nutrition-recipes), which helps find healthy low-cost recipes and create cookbooks and shopping lists.

For more information on the food assistance program, visit http://www.dcf.ks.gov/Pages/default.aspx.

Governor Laura Kelly Announces Kansas Joins Bipartisan, Multi-State National Security Initiative

~Kansas and Missouri join National Security Crossroads to improve national security in Heartland region~

TOPEKA – Today, Governor Laura Kelly and Missouri Governor Mike Parson announced the launch of the National Security Crossroads, a bipartisan, multi-state initiative to raise awareness of and improve national security missions in the Heartland region.

“By leveraging our strategic location, strong military community, and existing cybersecurity partnerships, this initiative will make Kansas and Missouri integral to our national security for years to come,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I look forward to the bipartisan spirit of collaboration fostered by the National Security Crossroads initiative, which will not only improve security, but will also strengthen our growing economy by developing a more agile workforce and ensuring safer communities.”

The National Security Crossroads represents a regional branding effort to bring awareness in all levels of government, as well as around the country, of the expanding base of security-related operations in the area. As the “heartland” of the United States, with a convenient location to all areas of the country, the region is poised for a strategic advantage in security and mission critical operations.

Seven major military bases are housed within the Crossroads area, covering the Army, Navy and Air Force branches. The region also includes 11 national security installations, focusing on geospatial-intelligence, net-centric solutions, non-nuclear component manufacturing, combined arms preparations, strategic attack deterrents, bio-threat prevention, along with other critical technology and infrastructure concentrations.

“We are proud to be home to such robust military and defense industries, and this initiative will be a valuable asset in strengthening national security and our region as a whole,” Missouri Governor Mike Parson said. “This partnership will leverage our region’s existing industry, dedicated personnel, and strategic location in the heart of the nation to support military missions and members, expand new technologies and industries, attract skilled workers, and drive economic growth through good-paying job creation for both Missouri and Kansas.”

The Crossroads region stretches from Wichita and Manhattan, Kansas, to the bi-state St. Louis area. With the development of the National Security Crossroads, the region continues to represent a growing base of operations for a variety of installations, including military, cybersecurity, and public-private partnerships.

The program facilitates workforce and talent growth and resiliency, as well as collaboration between installations that enable Crossroads’ members to be agile and resilient. The effort also seeks to educate state and federal legislators, as well as others in the region, on the value of the Crossroads and its associated missions.

The National Security Crossroads was a concept developed at the Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC) to facilitate regional cooperation, collaboration, and other initiatives such as workforce development. The KCNSC is managed and operated by Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies (FM&T), LLC.

“The National Security Crossroads is a means for federal agencies to draw in potential partners and suppliers who can strengthen national security and velocity through an affiliated network,” Eric Wollerman, Honeywell FM&T President, said. “The Crossroads enables a smart network of partners to leverage contacts and information effectively throughout the region.”

The launch of National Security Crossroads includes the unveiling of the initiative’s new website, designed to introduce the public to the partners involved and communicate the ongoing efforts of the collaborative. Visitors to www.nationalsecuritycrossroads.com will also be able to access information on upcoming events, including webinars regarding regional updates.

National Security Crossroads

The mission of the National Security Crossroads is to brand the Kansas and Missouri region as a National Security strength and home for national security missions, educate people on the value of the Crossroads, and share best practices to enable members of the Crossroads to be agile and resilient. For more information, visit nationalsecuritycrossroads.com.

 

TOPEKA – The start of a new school year is an expensive time for families.  If you are struggling to pay for phone and internet service while navigating back to school costs, help is available.

The Kansas Corporation Commission encourages Kansans in need of assistance to apply for Lifeline and the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB). Both programs help low-income families and individuals stay connected so they can access healthcare, attend classes, find jobs, and call for help in an emergency. Anyone who qualifies for Lifeline also qualifies for Emergency Broadband.

Lifeline provides federal and state discounts up to $17.02 per month on phone service (wireless or residential) and broadband. The $3.2 billion federal Emergency Broadband Benefit, launched last May in response to the pandemic, provides a $50 per month broadband discount. Participants also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers. Both programs offer additional discounts for subscribers living on tribal lands.

To be eligible for Lifeline, your household income must be at or below 135% of the poverty level or you receive one or more of the following benefits:

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Federal Public Housing Assistance (FHPA)
• Veterans Pension & Survivors Pension Benefit
• Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
• Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
• Head Start Tribal Programs (only those meeting its income qualifying standard)
• The Food Distribution Program on Tribal Lands.

To qualify for EBB, your household must meet one of the following requirements:

• Meet the criteria for the Lifeline program
• Receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, or did so in the 2019-2020 school year.
• Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year.
• Experienced a substantial loss of income due to job loss or furlough since February 29, 2020.
• Meet the eligibility criteria for a participating broadband provider’s existing low-income or COVID-19 program.

Kansans can apply for both programs directly through one of many participating providers in the state. More information is also available on the KCC website.

Media note – Links to flyers for Lifeline and the Emergency Broadband Benefit (English and Spanish) are included below for your use:

Lifeline English , Lifeline_Spanish, EBB English, EBB_Spanish