KDADS roll-out clarifies 14c-to-CIE wage‑match grant: applications due April 14

The Kansas Department for Aging & Disability Services and Hospitals (KDADS) on a March briefing outlined a new 14c‑to‑CIE grant program created under Senate Bill 15 to help sheltered‑workshop providers bring employees paid under a 14(c) certificate up to the state minimum wage and to support later transition to competitive integrated employment.

KDADS presented the program with technical assistance from Public Consulting Group (PCG) and said the grant will be delivered in two phases: Phase 1, already open for applications, covers dollar‑for‑dollar wage reimbursement to reach the state minimum wage; Phase 2, contingent on available funding, will reimburse costs tied to providers’ transition plans to CIE (competitive integrated employment).

The program purpose and eligibility

Megan Shepherd, the policy and program oversight director for long‑term services and supports at KDADS, said the grants are intended to “ensure that everyone, individuals who are living with disabilities, are paid equitable wages” and to support transitions to integrated community employment. COREY LITWILER of Public Consulting Group described the opportunity as “the 14c to CIE grant opportunity.”

The grant draws from the state’s sheltered‑workshop transition fund established by Senate Bill 15. Phase 1 targets providers that operate under a 14(c) certificate: one application per National Provider Identifier (NPI) is required regardless of how many locations a provider operates.

Key deadlines and process

Questions from applicants are due March 24; the application portal opened earlier in the month and applications must be submitted by April 14 at 5 p.m. Award decisions are expected in May–June with invoicing and reimbursement anticipated at the start of the next fiscal year. KDADS will publish an FAQ and post the briefing materials and recording on the grant web page.

How Phase 1 wage matching works

Peter (staff member) explained the reimbursement mechanics: the state will reimburse up to half the state minimum wage toward an employee’s pay, and the employer must provide the remaining non‑state match. Using the current state minimum wage cited in the briefing, $7.25 per hour, half is $3.63. “You must raise an employee's wage to at least the state mandated minimum wage to receive those matching grant funds,” Peter said.

Because the grant is reimbursement‑based, providers must pay any wage increase first and then submit proof of payment to receive reimbursement; KDADS will not provide prospective or retroactive payments for wage increases outside the grant period. Awarded applicants must match reimbursed funds dollar‑for‑dollar from non‑state sources; KDADS staff and PCG confirmed that using the same state or federally allocated HCBS dollars to cover an increase and then seeking reimbursement would be treated as duplication and is not allowed.

Documentation and application requirements

Applicants must upload a required minimum wage transition Excel workbook for each employee for whom reimbursement is requested. KDADS listed the required fields for each employee: name; job; Medicaid ID; date of birth; gender; ethnicity; whether a guardian is present; hire date; current hourly wage; and hours worked per week. Other required documentation for reimbursement includes payroll reports, pay stubs or direct‑deposit advice and, for electronic payments, a cleared bank record; self‑generated spreadsheets alone are not acceptable proof of payment.

The application includes four mandatory narrative responses about sustainability of wage increases, the source(s) of non‑state matching funds, how many employees will reach minimum wage by the end of the grant period, and timing for transitioning any remaining subminimum‑wage employees. Applicants must attest to continued payment of at least the state minimum wage after the grant ends.

Phase 2 and transition planning

As a condition of receiving Phase 1 funds, awardees must work with KUCD (technical assistance and mentorship partner named in the briefing) to develop a transition to CIE plan. Phase 2 funding — which would reimburse expenses tied to executing those transition plans (examples cited: policy development, staff training and recruitment, technology or equipment needed for CIE, marketing/communications, training stipends) — is subject to the legislature’s confirmation of available funding. KDADS described Phase 2 eligible and ineligible expenses in the RFA and encouraged applicants to review the RFA for full lists.

Ineligible costs and indirects

KDADS said the grant will not reimburse costs that supplant existing funding, payments for prior periods, existing debts, penalties, lobbying/political activity, entertainment, supplies or equipment permanently given to individuals receiving services, or training paid during regular staff work hours. KDADS also stated a standard indirect cost provision: an automatic 10% indirect cost allowance is applied but may not exceed the program cap stated in the RFA.

Provider questions and concerns raised

Provider representatives asked several operational questions during the briefing. One provider stated that many sheltered workshops “do not operate at a profit” and noted the practical difficulty of advancing payroll first under a reimbursement model; KDADS acknowledged the constraint and said the reimbursement approach is required by the funding structure. Another attendee asked whether continuing center‑based work would disqualify a provider; KDADS responded that the grant’s primary statutory intent is to remove subminimum wages and support transition planning, not to immediately eliminate center‑based options chosen by participants, although KDADS staff discussed longer‑term alignment with HCBS settings expectations and corrective action planning with CMS.

Where to find materials and contacts

KDADS and PCG directed providers to the grant web page and the Request for Applications (RFA) for full application instructions, attachments and the FAQ. PCG will manage application intake, award notifications and reimbursement invoicing on KDADS’s behalf and will be the contact for portal‑access or technical issues listed on the grant web page.

Ending

KDADS and PCG encouraged applicants to review the RFA and the minimum wage transition Excel template on the grant web page, gather payroll documentation before beginning the application, and submit any clarifying questions by the March 24 deadline so answers can be posted in the FAQ prior to the April 14 application deadline.