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Senate subcommittee approves KDADS reappropriations, a 10% IDD rate increase and hospital staffing funds
Summary
The Human Services Subcommittee voted to advance KDADS budget changes including reappropriations, a 10% reimbursement increase for IDD waiver providers, agency nurse staffing funding for state hospitals and first‑year operations funds for a new regional mental‑health hospital; motions passed by voice votes and the package was sent to the full Senate Ways and Means Committee.
The Senate Human Services Subcommittee on Ways and Means approved a package of KDADS budget reappropriations and targeted enhancements and forwarded the items to the full committee.
Chair Owens moved a package of reappropriations and enhancements that included reappropriating a previously allocated $70,100,000 alternative‑beds fund and several SIBF items for agency priorities; the motion was seconded by Senator Kloos and carried by voice vote.
During the working session, Senator Clint moved to add $69,500,000 (all funds), including $26,400,000 SGF, to provide a 10% reimbursement rate increase for HCBS IDD waiver providers in FY2027. The motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. The subcommittee did not record a roll‑call tally in the transcript; KDADS was asked to prepare fiscal‑impact detail and a distribution plan.
Chair Owens also proposed several state‑hospital and capital actions: $400,000 for KNI (Cooks), agency nursing‑staff funding for Larned State Hospital ($32,227,968 in FY26 and $10,000,000 in FY27) with a proviso requesting a two‑day interim study on the predator treatment program, and agency nursing staffing for Oswego State Hospital ($7,000,000 in FY26 and $2,000,000 in FY27). Senators debated whether the FY27 staffing amounts would be sufficient as new beds and facilities come online; Senator Petty characterized the $10,000,000 proposed for Larned as "woefully under budget." The motions passed by voice vote.
The subcommittee also added $20,000,000 SGF for first‑year operations of the South Central Regional Mental Health Hospital (to be combined with $15,000,000 already allocated), acknowledging the amount may require adjustment depending on opening and staffing timelines. The package to fund KDADS, the neurological institute, and state hospitals was passed out to the full Senate Ways and Means Committee "as amended." The subcommittee adjourned after the votes.
What comes next: KDADS will provide follow‑up materials requested by members—written clarification on the presence of any noncitizen patients at state hospital campuses, and fiscal‑impact and distribution details for the approved 10% IDD provider increase—so the full committee can weigh the items in broader budget deliberations.
