Live. Independently.

Information on Beneficial Programs

Funding Information & Benefits

The following programs offer a wide array of benefits. Please review the highlights of each and let your therapy team if you’d like to pursue any of these as goals.

We will review:

Low Income Energy Assistance Program

The Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) is a Federally funded program that helps eligible households pay a portion of their home energy costs by providing a one-time per year benefit.

LIEAP Frequently Asked Questions​

  • The 2021 LIEAP application period is set each year, generally January through May.
  • The following summary describes basic LIEAP eligibility provisions.  Additional information may be obtained by calling 1-800-432-0043.

Persons Eligible

  • To qualify, applicants must meet the following requirements:
  • An adult living at the address must be personally responsible for paying the heating costs incurred at the current residence, payable either to the landlord or the fuel vendor.
  • Applicants must demonstrate a recent history of payments toward purchase of the primary heating energy.

The combined gross income (before deductions) of all persons living ​at the address may not exceed 150% of the federal poverty level according to the guidelines listed below:

2021 Income Eligibility Guidelines

Benefits

Benefit levels vary according to the following factors:

  • Household income
  • Number of persons living at the address
  • Type of dwelling
  • Type of heating fuel

Veteran’s Benefits

The US Department of Veteran’s Affairs offers an abundance of benefits to prior service members.  Click here to see the current benefits and how to apply. https://benefits.va.gov/BENEFITS/Applying.asp

PASS Plan

What is a PASS?

  • It is an SSI provision to help individuals with disabilities return to work.
  • If you receive SSI or could qualify for SSI after setting aside income or resources so you can pursue a work goal, you could benefit from a PASS.

How does a PASS help someone return to work?

  • It is based off of SSI eligibility and payment amounts on income and resources (things of value that the individual owns).
  • PASS lets an individual with disabilities set aside money and things he or she owns to pay for items or services needed to achieve a specific work goal.
  • The objective of the PASS is to help disabled individuals find employment that reduces or eliminates SSI or SSDI benefits.

How does PASS work?

  • The applicant finds out what training, items, or services they need to reach a work goal.
  • A PASS can include supplies to start a business, school expenses, equipment and tools, transportation, uniforms and other items or services you need to reach your employment goal.
  • The applicant finds out how much these items and services will cost.
  • PASS can help the participant save to pay these costs. PASS lets persons with disabling conditions set aside money for purchases, installment payments and down payments for things like a vehicle, wheelchair, or a computer if needed to reach their work goal.

How do you set up a PASS?

  • Decide on your work goal and determine the items and services necessary to achieve your work goal.
  • You can get help in setting up plan from a vocational rehabilitation (VR) counselor; an organization that helps people with disabilities; Benefits Specialists or Protection and Advocacy organizations who have contracts with us; Employment Networks involved in the Ticket to Work program; your local Social Security office; or anyone else willing to help him or her.
  • Contact local SSA office; SSA work site or third parties shown above to get a PASS form (SSA-545-BK) to complete.
  • Bring or mail it to the Social Security office.
  • Social Security usually approves plans prepared by VR.
  • If your goal is self-employment, you must also submit a business plan.

What happens to the PASS?

  • Social Security sends the PASS to agency employees who are trained to work with PASS.
  • A PASS expert works directly with the applicant. The PASS expert looks over the plan to see if the work goal is reasonable.
  • Social Security reviews the plan to make sure that the applicant needs the items and services listed on the PASS to achieve his or her work goal and that the items are reasonably priced.
  • If the plan needs changes, the PASS expert discusses the changes with the applicant.
  • If Social Security do not approve the PASS, the applicant can appeal the decision.

For more information and examples of how you can use a PASS please visit the Red Book.

Able Account

  • What Is An ABLE Account: An ABLE account is a tax-advantaged savings account that qualified individuals with disabilities may open. Contributions to ABLE accounts are made on an after-tax basis. Earnings from ABLE funds grow tax-deferred and are tax-free if used for qualified disability expenses. Contributions to the account may be made by any person. Funds in the account may be used for “Qualified Disability Expenses” which include: Education, Housing, Transportation, Employment training and support, Assistive technology and related services, Health, Prevention and wellness, Financial management and administrative services, Legal fees, Expenses for ABLE account oversight and monitoring, Funeral and burial, and Basic living expenses.
  • Why Are They Needed: Individuals with disabilities can only have $2,000 in assets at any given time to remain eligible for many federal means-tested benefits programs, such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Under ABLE, eligible individuals and families may establish ABLE savings accounts that will not affect their eligibility for SSI (up to $100,000), Medicaid and other public benefits. ABLE accounts provide a mechanism to essentially increase this $2,000 asset limitation so that individuals with disabilities and their families can save money for their future and to improve their quality of life.
  • Qualified Expenses: Include, but are not limited to:
    • Education
    • Health and wellness
    • Housing
    • Transportation
    • Legal fees
    • Financial management
    • Employment training and support
    • Assistive technology
    • Personal support services
    • Oversight and monitoring
    • Funeral and burial expenses
    • When savings is used for non-qualified expenses:
      • The earnings portion of the withdrawal will be treated as income, so it will be taxed at your tax rate, and will be subject to a 10% federal tax penalty and applicable state taxes.
  • Account Eligibility: There are two requirements to be eligible for an ABLE account: an age requirement and a severity of disability determination. The onset of symptoms of the person’s disability must have occurred before age 26. Additionally, the disabled individual must have “marked and severe functional limitations” (Social Security definition of disability). An individual whose disability occurred prior to age 26 and is already receiving SSI and/or SSDI is automatically eligible to establish an ABLE account. Those who are not recipients of SSI and/or SSDI but still meet the age of onset disability requirement will be eligible to open an ABLE account upon obtaining a disability certification from their physician. You must re-certify annually.
  • Deposit Maximums: The annual contribution limit for an ABLE account is $15,000. The annual limit is the sum of any contributions by the beneficiary, family and/or friends. The aggregate account limit for the Kansas ABLE plan is currently $418,000. If an account reaches $418,000 contributions into the ABLE account will no longer be accepted however, funds allocated to investments or interest-bearing accounts may continue to grow beyond the $418,000 maximum account limit.
  • Questions: Submit questions at https://kansasstatetreasurer.com/contact_us.html
  • How to Open an Account: Click here to open an account: https://savewithable.com/ks/home.html
  • Learn More: https://savewithable.com/ks/home.html

Special Needs Trust

A special needs trust is designed to provide a person with a disability the funds to enhance their quality of life while at the same time allowing them to remain eligible for needs-based public benefits.  Programs like Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) provide essentials, such as medical care, food, clothing and shelter. Special needs trusts are intended to supplement, not replace, this kind of basic support. Such trusts pay for anything the trust document provides for, including comforts and luxuries that meager public assistance funds don’t cover, hence the term “special needs.”

These trusts typically pay for things like education, recreation, counseling, and medical services beyond the basics.

Here are some examples of expenses that a special needs trust might cover:

  • Medical and dental expenses not covered elsewhere
  • Special equipment like wheelchairs or specially equipped vans
  • Therapy or rehabilitation services
  • Training and education
  • Travel, which can include the cost of a companion
  • Recreation and entertainment (summer camp, movies or social events, videos, sports equipment)
  • Electronic equipment and appliances, computers
  • Payments for a companion
  • Legal or guardianship expenses
  • Insurance
  • Burial expenses
  • A vehicle
  • A ride share membership (Uber, Lyft, etc.)
  • A bus/rail pass
  • A vacation
  • A home
  • Help with starting a business

*information adapted from Shepherd Elder Law Group

Kansas – Technology Assistance Program (KTAP)

What is KTAP? KTAP is an equipment distribution program. The purpose of the program is to provide specialized telephones and other telecommunications devices to Kansans with disabilities who cant use traditional home telephones.

  • Types of phones available:
    • Amplified Corded telephone
    • Amplified Cordless Telephone
    • Large Number Amplified Telephone
    • Large Number Telephone with Talking Keys
    • Photo Button Telephone
    • Emergency Response Telephone with Remote
    • Captioned Telephone
    • Hands Free Phone
    • Clarity Bt914-Bluetooth Cordless
    • Speech Amplification
    • VCO & HCO Telephone
    • Personal Emergency Response System
    • Teletypewriter
    • Quattro 4.0 BT System
    • Light Flasher/Loud Bell
    • Loud Bell Ringer
    • In-Line Dialer
    • Smartphones/Tablets
  • How to apply? To apply for equipment, complete the appropriate KS TAP application, have your disability or health condition certified and mail/fax the application to the KS TAP office. The application can be found at www.atk.ku.edu/applications
  • Eligibility- The Disability Certification section on page 3 of the Equipment Application needs to be completed by a licensed professional. The following professionals may complete this section for you depending on your disability: audiologist, ophthalmologist, optometrist, physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, speech pathologist, or vocational rehabilitation counselor. You can apply for new equipment every four years. You may reapply earlier if your disability or health condition changes and different equipment is necessary. A statement from your certifying professional is required documenting this change.
  • Receiving your equipment- TAP staff will review your application and will contact you if there are questions or if your application is incomplete. TAP staff will order the equipment and have it shipped directly to your home or a person you designate to receive it. You own your equipment. Please remember to send in any warranty cards to the manufacturer or vendor. Use surge protectors and take care of your equipment since it can only be replaced every four years.

Assistive Technology Kansas (ATK)

What is ATK? ATK connects people with disabilities and health conditions of all ages with the assistive technology they need to learn, work, play and participate in community life safely and independently. ATK provides technology solutions in the areas of vision, hearing, speech communications, learning, cognition, mobility, seating, daily living, environmental adaptations, vehicle modifications, computer and related technology, recreation, and sports adaptations. Comprehensive AT services include product information, equipment loan, device demonstration, device reuse/recycle, assessment, funding assistance, and training.

Borrow a Device- ATK has equipment for short-term loan so people with disabilities or health conditions, service providers, employers, educators, and others can determine if a device meets their needs. Equipment can be borrowed from the ATK Equipment Loan System for up to four weeks. A smaller inventory of devices is available from the regional AT Access Sites. The program has limited funding for equipment purchases and shipping. You can help ATK serve more people by picking up a device whenever possible or by contributing toward shipping and/or acquisition of new inventory.

Categories of Devices:

  • Computers and related equipment
  • Daily Living
  • Farm Adaptations
  • Hearing
  • Home modification
  • Learning, Cognitive and Developmental
  • Positioning / Mobility / Seating
  • Recreation / Sports / Leisure
  • Speech Communication
  • Vehicle, Vehicle Modification
  • Vision
  • Worksite/Agribusiness modification