Plain-language descriptions of the Kansas services we provide, based on information from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS).
Kansas service name Skilled services (home health)
Nursing care delivered in the home by licensed nurses. KDHE describes skilled services as medical services that must include nursing and that require an order from the person’s medical provider. Depending on the order and plan of care, this can include health assessments, monitoring, wound care and medication management.
Kansas service name Home health aide services
Hands-on help with personal care and basic health-related tasks, carried out under a plan of care. Kansas requires home health aides to be certified nurse aides in good standing who have also completed a 20-hour home health aide course and passed a state test.
Kansas service name Therapy services (home health)
Therapy provided at home by licensed therapists on a medical provider’s order. Physical therapy focuses on strength, movement and mobility. Occupational therapy focuses on everyday activities such as dressing, cooking and self-care. Speech therapy focuses on communication and swallowing. Therapy services are among the services Kansas includes in home health agency licensure.
Kansas service name Social services (home health)
Social work support for the personal, emotional and practical challenges that come with illness or disability. A social worker can help with planning, with connecting the person and family to community resources, and with understanding the options available. Kansas regulations treat social services as one of the services a home health agency may provide.
Kansas service name Personal Care Services (PCS); Attendant care
One-on-one help with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing and eating, and with household tasks such as meals, laundry and cleaning. KDADS also notes that Personal Care Services may include health maintenance activities and, in some cases, socialization and recreation. On the I/DD waiver, agency-directed personal care (formerly called Supportive Home Care) supports people who live with family or foster family, and a self-directed option is also available.
Kansas service name Non-Medical Supportive Care Services
Non-medical help that keeps a person comfortable and safe at home: companionship, chores such as light housekeeping and laundry, and assistance with activities of daily living. KDHE licenses this kind of care as Non-Medical Supportive Care Services under a home health agency license. It does not require a nursing order.
Kansas service name Residential Supports (I/DD waiver)
Support for adults, age 18 and older, who live in a home setting and need help with daily living and building skills. In Kansas, KDADS names the closest I/DD waiver service Residential Supports. Waiver services pay for the supports provided and do not cover living expenses or room and board.
Kansas service name Day Supports (I/DD waiver)
Support for building everyday living skills and taking part in community life, including activities, relationships and responsibilities chosen by the person. The closest KDADS I/DD waiver service is Day Supports. Services are always based on each person’s plan of care.
Kansas service name Overnight Respite (I/DD waiver)
Temporary care and supervision that gives family members and other caregivers a break. KDADS describes respite as relief for caregivers, and on the I/DD waiver it is available for overnight use and may be self-directed. Other Kansas waivers also offer respite care.
Kansas service name Supported Employment; Individual Employment Support
Help to find, start and keep a job in a regular workplace. KDADS describes Supported Employment as job support for people who work in competitive, integrated settings. Kansas’ newer Community Supports Waiver adds Individual Employment Support, and its service list also mentions transportation. Which of these is available depends on the waiver a person is enrolled in.
Kansas service name Wellness Monitoring; Specialized Medical Care; nursing
Support for staying healthy. KDADS describes Wellness Monitoring as regularly scheduled nursing visits to check a person’s health status and watch for changes. Nurses can also help manage medications and carry out health-related care when a medical provider has ordered it.
Kansas service name Provided within the person’s plan of care
Planning and coaching that help a person build coping skills and positive ways of handling challenges, coordinated with the person, family and care team. The Kansas I/DD waiver sources we reviewed do not list this as a separately named service, so it is typically carried out as part of a person’s plan and alongside their other supports.
These are summaries written in our own words to help families understand each service. Which services a person can receive depends on their eligibility, waiver, payer authorization, practitioner orders and individual plan of care. For official definitions, see the Kansas sources below or call us.
JANAHome Care