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Committee funds a partial, immediate allocation for KNI medication aides after KDHE citation
Summary
The Social Services Budget Committee agreed to set FY2026 funding for certified medication-aid hires at $250,000 and to reduce the FY2027 request after hearing KDHE survey findings that KNI’s medication-administration supervision was deficient.
Chairman Beller told the committee that the Kansas Neurological Institute, which cares for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, requested a FY2026 revised estimate of $44.1 million including $19.8 million from the State General Fund and a $1.2 million SGF request to hire certified medication-aid positions identified in a corrective action plan following an August 2023 KDHE survey.
Representative Steel pressed the agency justification: the committee heard that KNI’s medication-administration study found it took about 20 minutes per resident to pass medications and concluded the facility needed 21 certified medication aides (CAMAs) under nursing supervision. Chairman Beller said KNI’s budgeted beds total 118 with an average census of 112 and that the facility has 464 authorized positions (some unfilled).
Members debated whether KNI’s internal performance measures, which report high guardian satisfaction, aligned with the KDHE citation. Several members said the 20-minute-per-resident figure seemed long; others said the population’s severe needs and the campus’ cottage layout can lengthen medication rounds and that failing to address KDHE findings risks large federal fines.
Representative Francis offered a substitute motion to reduce the FY2026 allocation to $250,000 so KNI could begin hiring and training this fiscal year; Representative Moer seconded. After extended discussion about hiring timing, partial-year impact and oversight, the committee adopted the substitute motion by voice vote. For FY2027, members moved and adopted an amendment to cut the $1.2 million request roughly in half; the committee said it wants better data on the cooks request and expects further oversight and possible site visits.
The committee then approved the Social Services budget committee recommendations for KNI for FY2026–27 as amended. The decisions explicitly distinguish discussion (KDHE findings and performance measures), partial-year direction ($250,000 to begin hiring in 2026), and formal action (committee votes approving amended funding). The committee did not supply a named roll-call vote in the transcript; outcome statements were voice votes recorded as “motion passes.”
Next steps cited by the committee include follow-up on KNI’s medication study details, a potential site visit about specialized feeding/cook positions, and monitoring of compliance with KDHE corrective actions.
