CW: Institutionalization
For years, a federal initiative has supported disabled Kansans in reclaiming something the Supreme Court has guaranteed: the right to live in the community rather than living in institutions. The Money Follows the Person program made this possible by funding practical things that Medicaid doesn’t cover. It helped cover the cost of security deposits, ramps, home modifications, household items, and other things that help independent living become a reality.
The stakes go well beyond money. They are connected with the civil rights that were guaranteed by the 1999 Olmstead decision. With this decision, the Court recognized that disabled people have the right to live in the most integrated environment possible. Money Follows the Person became one of the most effective tools available to states to help turn that promise into reality.
The Money Follows the Person (MFP) program is one of the longest-running and most successful Medicaid initiatives in the nation. It helps states transition people from nursing homes and other institutional settings back into their communities while supporting efforts to “rebalance” long-term services and support systems. By expanding access to Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) and improving outcomes, MFP has helped thousands of people nationwide achieve greater independence.
Kansas once led the way in utilizing this program. From 2007 to 2017, the state helped more than 1,700 people transition out of nursing homes and institutions. For a decade, Kansas was seen as a national example. Then the program’s momentum slowed, and by 2020, Kansas stepped away completely. Some services became part of KanCare, but the dedicated framework and flexibility that had made the program so effective were lost.
This spring, it seemed Kansas was ready to rejoin the program. The state agency, KDADS, (the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services) began planning a relaunch. Nearly 200 providers joined discussions. Case managers compiled lists of people poised to leave institutions if the appropriate supports were available. Disability advocates finally sensed something rare: momentum.
Then, the plan fell apart. KDADS informed lawmakers that Kansas could not meet new federal requirements. The restart was canceled, leaving those who had prepared for months with nothing but disappointment.
The human cost of this setback is difficult to ignore. Without Money Follows the Person, more Kansans will remain in nursing homes and other facilities not out of need, but because they lack the resources necessary for independent living.
Therapists and professionals warn that life in institutions can speed up cognitive decline. Agencies with clients ready to transition now have to tell them to wait indefinitely. Every delay pushes the state further away from fulfilling the community integration promise mandated by Olmstead.
For people like Margaret Tomlinson, the loss of the program hits deeply. After a traumatic brain injury, she spent years rebuilding her life. She finally moved into her own home in Wathena, yet insurance didn’t cover everything necessary to maintain that independence. Money Follows the Person could have bridged those gaps. As she put it, having extra support “is incredibly helpful” when wanting to live independently after such a life-changing injury.
Advocates like Mike Oxford see this issue as bigger than budgets or red tape. To them, it’s a question of civil rights—the right to live in the community, make choices, and have autonomy. When programs like this vanish, those rights become more elusive, and the state drifts further from the obligations Olmstead established over two decades ago.
Kansas once showed what is achievable by investing in helping people leave institutions and build lives in their communities. Even without Money Follows The Person, people will still need help to live in their communities. Unfortunately, now, the funding has disappeared.
Sources:
Siegel, Ruby, and Joe Caldwell. States Should Use the Money Follows the Person Program More to Improve Access to Home and Community-Based Services and Outcomes. Brandeis University, 2025. https://heller.brandeis.edu/community-living-policy/research-policy/pdfs/briefs/money-follows-the-person-policy-brief-2025.pdf
Schnelle, Rachel. “Kansans with Disabilities Got More Independence Through a Federal Program. Then the Money Dried Up.” KCUR, 5 June 2026, https://www.kcur.org/2026-06-05/kansans-with-disabilities-got-more-independence-through-a-federal-program-until-the-money-dried-up
Shapiro, Joseph. “Lois Curtis, Who Won a Landmark Civil Rights Case for People with Disabilities, Died.” NPR, 5 Nov. 2022, https://www.npr.org/2022/11/05/1134426128/lois-curtis-who-won-a-landmark-civil-rights-case-for-people-with-disabilities-di.