Governor Kelly Announces CMS Approval of Kansas’ Community Supports Waiver, Effective October 1, 2026
Expands options for individuals with I/DD to live independently in their communities
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly and The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS), in partnership with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), announced today that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved Kansas’ new Community Supports Waiver.
CMS approved the initial 1915(c) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver on July 1, 2026. It will operate concurrently with an amendment to Kansas’ 1915(b) KanCare managed care waiver. Both the new waiver and the KanCare amendment become effective on October 1, 2026. CMS has approved a projected enrollment of 500 individuals for the first waiver year (October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027).
“The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ approval of Kansas’ Community Supports Waiver represents what is possible through collaboration, forward-thinking, and putting the needs of Kansans first,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This is a monumental step that will empower individuals and families across Kansas to live full lives by ensuring they can access the care they need, when they need it.”
The waiver will provide targeted HCBS to Kansans ages 5 and older with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) who do not require 24-hour support but would otherwise need services in an Intermediate Care Facility for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IID). Developed with the recommendations of the Kansas Legislature’s 2022 Special Committee on Intellectual and Developmental Disability Waiver Modernization in mind, the waiver offers more flexible, right-sized supports that help individuals live more independently at home and in their communities and promote competitive integrated employment.
The Community Supports Waiver includes services such as:
- Individual Employment Support
- Personal Care Services
- Respite Care
- Therapies (Behavior, Occupational, Physical, and Speech/Language)
- Assistive Technology and Remote Support Services
- Home and Environmental Modifications
- Life Skill Services
- Benefits Planning and Career Exploration
- Family/Caregiver Support and Training
- Individual-Directed Goods and Services
- Non-Medical Transportation, and more
Services under the waiver are subject to an annual cap of $20,000 per participant.
KDADS and KDHE will now begin final implementation activities, including system updates, provider enrollment and training, policy development, and outreach. Individuals and families interested in learning more can visit www.kdads.ks.gov/kansascsw.
What They’re Saying:
“This approval marks a major milestone for Kansas and for the thousands of individuals and families who have waited for more flexible, person-centered options. The Community Supports Waiver is the result of years of collaboration among self-advocates, families, providers, community developmental disabilities organizations (CDDO), and other stakeholders. It will expand access to services, ease pressure on the I/DD waiver waitlist, and give Kansans with I/DD greater choice and control over their lives.”
– Secretary Laura Howard, Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services
“Giving Kansans access to the Community Supports Waiver through Medicaid is a much-needed enhancement to the services we have worked so hard to provide our all of our members. It not only will help individuals live more independently at home and in the community, but it will offer many more opportunities for them to choose and direct their own services. This is great news for Kansas.”
– Secretary Janet Stanek, Kansas Department of Health and Environment
“Approval of the Community Supports Waiver is a major milestone for Kansas and for Kansans with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. It will help individuals who need lower-level supports access services more quickly and reduce the waiting list for the comprehensive I/DD Waiver. I’m proud to have helped guide the development and funding of this new Home & Community Supports Waiver through the Legislature in my roles on Senate Ways & Means, Senate Public Health & Welfare, and the Bob Bethell Joint Committee on HCBS & KanCare Oversight. I remain committed to supporting the resources and alignment needed to ensure this waiver meets the needs of Kansans with I/DD.”
– Senator Pat Pettey, District 6
“It’s great to see the Community Supports Waiver finally up and running. I believe it will make an incredible difference for folks in the I/DD community and their families. As I’ve said many times, I believe it could take half the folks off the wait list.
“A special thanks to the many legislators, staff, and other advocates who also saw the vision and helped along the way and put up with my constant pushing in support of the Community Supports Waiver.
“Today is a great day for the I/DD community in Kansas.”
– Representative Will Carpenter, District 75
“The Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities (KCDD) is proud to celebrate this historic milestone for Kansans with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. As the state’s largest organization dedicated exclusively to advancing opportunities for people with I/DD, KCDD has long advocated for the creation of the Community Supports Waiver because we believe it represents an important new pathway to services while strengthening Kansas’ broader commitment to ending the longstanding I/DD waiver waitlist.
“For far too many Kansans, waiting years for critical supports has become the norm. This new waiver creates an important bridge—providing earlier access to meaningful services and helping individuals receive support while they await comprehensive waiver services. It reflects a shared commitment to building a more responsive, person-centered disability system.
“We appreciate the leadership of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, the Kansas Legislature, self-advocates, families, providers, and our many partners who worked together to make this vision a reality. KCDD looks forward to continuing our partnership to ensure every Kansan with I/DD has the opportunity to live, work, and thrive in the community of their choice.”
– Sara Hart Weir, Executive Director, Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities