Kansas 1 of 10 “Core” States Selected to Participate in Initiative to Expand Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities

TOPEKA – Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) Secretary Laura Howard announced today that Kansas is 1 of only 10 states and the District of Columbia selected by the U.S Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) to participate as a “core state” for its National Expansion of Employment Opportunities Network initiative (NEON).

NEON is a technical assistance initiative that advances collaboration with national provider organizations (NPOs) to develop strategic plans for increasing competitive integrated employment (CIE) opportunities for the individuals they serve, including those with significant disabilities and those who have faced barriers to employment. Until now, NEON has focused primarily on advancing CIE by offering national provider organizations technical assistance from recognized subject matter experts and support for local provider organizations. By expanding participation to core states, NEON seeks to focus on promoting positive changes in state-level policies and systems.

“KDADS is honored to be selected as a participant in this initiative designed to make employment a reality for more people with disabilities,” KDADS Secretary Howard said. “We are committed to making competitive, integrated employment a priority and implementing a strategic plan that supports effective practices and promotes healthier workplace equality.”

Competitive integrated employment (CIE) is defined by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) as work that is performed on a full-time or part-time basis for which an individual is:

• Compensated at or above minimum wage and comparable to the customary rate paid by the employer to employees without disabilities performing similar duties and with similar training and experience;
• Receiving the same level of benefits provided to other employees without disabilities in similar positions;
• At a location where the employee interacts with other individuals without disabilities; and
• Presented opportunities for advancement similar to other employees without disabilities in similar positions.

Kansas’s participation in this initiative will help KDADS connect to consulting, capacity building support and ongoing mentoring as we seek to increase CIE for individuals with disabilities in the state.

Kansas has been designated to receive 100 hours of technical assistance from subject matter experts to be used by August 31, 2023, based on the state’s goals and needs with additional hours available as needed and approved by ODEP. This can include blending, braiding, and sequencing of funding, strategic planning, and data collection and analysis. KDADS will begin holding monthly stakeholder meetings to gather input.

Expectations for core states as set forth by NEON include a scope of work that includes the opportunity to work with a maximum of four subject matter experts (SMEs) who will provide virtual and onsite training, technical assistance and policy consulting to include:

• One-on-One (1:1) Policy Consulting: Individualized support in accomplishing 1-3 policy-specific outcomes to assist the state in developing or implementing technical assistance objectives with the alignment of policies, practices, and funding to support the state’s initiative to enact Employment First principles, assist providers in transforming their business model, and advance NEON’s National Plan to Increase CIE.
• Capacity Building Assistance/Training in Effective Practices: A combination of in-person and virtual capacity building assistance and training which will result in the accomplishment of 2-5 major outcomes that align with ODEP’s Criteria for Performance Excellence in Employment First State Systems Change and Provider Transformation.

In addition to the policy support described above, each NEON Core State will also have access to and be expected to engage in all ODEP’s National Employment First Community of Practice (CoP) activities, including but not limited to: monthly training webinars, a virtual policy platform, national inventory of resources to help providers achieve increased CIE, and timely updates from Federal officials on new policy developments and funding opportunities to support state NEON efforts.

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PRATT – The 2023 Kansas Birding Big Year Contest, hosted by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP), is officially underway! Participation is simple; record the number of unique bird species you see in Kansas from Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2023 and submit your findings. You just might end up a 2023 Kansas Birding Big Year winner!

Participants of all skill levels are invited to compete in one of three age groups: Youth (age 17 and younger), adult (ages 18-64), or senior (age 65 and older). The winners from each category will receive prizes to be awarded in January 2024.

Participation Guidelines

1. Participants must register online at ksoutdoors.com/Services/Wildlife-Diversity/2023-Kansas-Birding-Big-Year on or before April 1 to participate in the 2023 contest.
2. Participants must read and abide by the set of rules governing the competition. These rules are adapted from the American Birding Association Recording Rules and Interpretations and include the Code of Birding Ethics. Breaking, or disregard for, these rules will result in disqualification.
3. Participants must log their data into the online service, eBird, available on the Cornell University website, ebird.org. Each participant must create an individual profile, sign-in and password to begin submitting sightings.
4. Participants must submit a running total list of observed species quarterly to the program coordinator to track progress and provide quality control. The program coordinator and competition committee have final say on list totals. Quarterly submission dates for the 2023 contest are: June 30, September 30 and December 31.

Winners will be recognized, and prizes awarded, in mid-January of the following calendar year. Award categories are as follows: Youth, Adult Novice, Adult Intermediate, Adult Advanced, and Senior.

The 2022 Kansas Birding Big Year Contest wrapped up in December 2022, with youth participant Franklin Miller claiming the title of “Kansas’ Top Birder” after identifying 322 unique bird species in the state last year.

The top winners from 2022 in each category are listed below.

Adult, Advanced

1. Malcolm Gold – 315*
2. Mark Nolen – 304*
3. Jeff Calhoun – 250*
4. Dan Broers – 246
5. Chad Gardner – 228

Adult, Intermediate

1. Seth Miller – 290*
2. Juan Avena – 275*
3. Corey Entriken – 267*
4. Melissa Bruce – 265*
5. Kelli Egbert – 219

Adult, Novice

1. Ann Tanner – 183
2. Krystal Sarcone – 83
3. Timothy Tarkelly – 79

Youth

1. Franklin Miller – 322*
2. Hezekiah Swihart – 192
3. Michaela Gold – 166
4. Danielle Gold – 143

Senior 

1. Henry Armknecht – 289*
2. Sue Newland – 270*
3. Dan Larson – 215
4. Marie Plinsky – 206
5. William Simon – 140

An asterisk (*) denotes a Top 10 Overall score.

Sponsors of the 2022 Kansas Big Birding Year contest include: City of Great Bend Convention and Visitors Bureau, The Kansas Wetlands Education Center, Acorn Naturalists, The Kansas Ornithological Society, Dr. Robert Penner, and KDWP.

For more on the Kansas Birding Big Year, visit ksoutdoors.com/services/Wildlife-Diversity/2023-Kansas-Birding-Big-Year.