Kansas Advocates

Yolande "Yo" Bestgen (November 10, 1948 - December 7, 2014)

Driven to expand services in the community for children and adults with disabilities Ms. Bestgen provided leadership to expand and improve the quality of services throughout her career. As the Executive Director for the Kansas Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, now InterHab she lead initiatives to address community waiting lists, expansion of the Home and Community Based Medicaid Waiver, Family Support Services and employment opportunities through partnerships with employers. In the late 80’s through a collaborative effort with the Kansas House of Representatives, the ‘Visions Conference for Community Services’ was held in the chambers of the House of Representatives. This conference brought together families, advocates, providers, state officials and legislators to craft the beginning of a new era of community services for citizens with disabilities in Kansas and the ultimate downsizing and closure of targeted state institutions.

Ms. Bestgen held positions in Washington, DC with United Cerebral Palsy-National and the President’s Committee on Mental Retardation (PCMR), now the President’s Committee on Intellectual Disabilities. Yo facilitated policy development and systems change to enhance community-based services in the States, Puerto Rico, the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe and the Cherokee Nation. These efforts were through the successful National Academy sponsored by PCMR during the Clinton Administration.

Senior leadership positions were held by Ms. Bestgen with CARF, an international accrediting commission for rehabilitation and elder care programs, the Texas Division for Early Childhood Intervention Services.

Yo learned early in her career as a Speech Pathologist and Special Education Administrator that collaborating with families provided high value and guidance in developing quality services. As an advocate she knows that any success is hard fought and gained through a unified effort with all stakeholders, most importantly those directly impacted by the services.

Ms. Bestgen has consulted with state agencies, state and national associations and non-profit organizations on strategic planning, policy and advocacy strategies, board leadership and keynote presentations.

In 2006 Yo moved to the hill country near Austin, Texas. In early 2007 she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. In 2011 she retired from a 40 year career targeted to disability policy, practice and advocacy. After a return of the cancer in 2012 in the form of a brain tumor Yo decided it was time to get back to work. Today she works for the Cancer Connection in Austin. The mission of this non-profit is to improve the quality of life for individuals and families affected by cancer through practical and emotional support. Every day she gets to support newly diagnosed cancer patients and their caregivers. In her free time Yo joins other women cancer survivors for activities through their non-profit, the Capitol of Texas Team Survivors. Together they enjoy activities such as spinning, cycling, rowing, walking and having fun! Life is good!!

Written by Yo Bestgen, May 2013

Arthur Capper (July 14, 1865 - December 19, 1951)

Politician, newspaperman, children's advocate. Republican. Born: July 14, 1865, Garnett, Kansas. Married: Florence Crawford, December 1, 1892. Died: December 19, 1951, Topeka, Kansas. Served as 20th Governor of Kansas: January 11, 1915, to January 13, 1919. Served in U.S. Senate: March 4, 1919, to January 3, 1949.

Arthur Capper was born July 14, 1865, in Garnett, Kansas, to Herbert and Isabella (McGrew) Capper. At the age of 14 he became a “printer’s devil” with the Garnett Journal. After graduation from high school Capper went to work as a typesetter for the Topeka Daily Capital. Worked his way up at the newspaper, he became an editor and served as correspondent for the state legislature and U.S. Congress. On December 1, 1892, Capper married Florence Crawford, daughter of Governor Samuel Crawford, for whom Florence, Kansas, was named.

In search of broader experience, Capper left Kansas and took a position with the New York Tribune. He later worked as a congressional correspondent in Washington, D.C., before returning to his native state. In 1893 and 1895 Capper purchased two Topeka newspapers Mailand Breeze. When the Daily Capital suffered financial difficulties, Capper was encouraged to return as editor and publisher. In 1901 he purchased controlling interest and reestablished the newspaper. By 1911 the Saturday Evening Post called Capper’s Capital “one of the best and brightest dailies in the West.”

Capper was defeated by a slim margin in his only unsuccessful campaign as the Republican candidate for governor in 1912. Two years later he was elected the 20th governor of Kansas, the first native-born Kansan to hold the office. He served two terms, 1915 to 1919. Capper served five terms as U.S. senator, 1919 to 1949.

1920 - The Capper fund established by Arthur Capper - United States Senator, former Kansas Governor, publisher, philanthropist and devoted advocate of children with special needs

1927 - Capper purchased WIBW, among the first radio stations in the state. An advocate of children’s welfare, Capper established a number of events and programs to assist the state’s youth. The Capper birthday party was a popular summer event from 1908 until 1951, when the flood forced its cancellation. He established agricultural clubs that loaned money to students so they could start modest businesses. These clubs eventually merged into the 4-H movement. To benefit children with disabilities, Capper formed a foundation in Topeka in 1920. He also organized the Goodfellows’ Club of Topeka.

1934 - Conversion of the informal Capper Fund to The Capper Foundation for Crippled Children, a non-profit Kansas Corporation.

1947 - The Capper Foundation becomes the area's first comprehensive rehabilitation facility with the donation of property from the closing of the Topeka Orphan's Home
Capper became one of the nation’s leading publishers of the decade and was featured on the cover of Time magazine in 1926. He served as chair of the Senate’s agriculture and forestry committees during the 80th Congress, and chose not to seek reelection in 1948. Capper died December 19, 1951, in Topeka.

"It is our duty to see that our future citizens are well born; . . . and are reared in that environment most likely to develop in them their full capacity and powers."
- Arthur Capper

Submitted by Terri Norgren, Families Together - April 2013

Joe Greve (November 22, 1943 - October 3, 1998)

1977 – KCDC Executive Director Joe Greve led a contingent of Kansans with disabilities to the White House Conference on the Handicapped. The state was divided into regions with each region sending one representative and one alternate to the conference. Recommendations from the conference included:

• priority action items such as formulation of national policy and consumer involvement in planning and decision making;
• major findings such as the cross cutting concern for public awareness and the need for attitudinal change; and issues of concern including architectural accessibility and safety; attitudes and awareness; civil rights; communication; cultural and leisure activities; economics; education; government organizations and practices; health; housing; services to veterans, elderly, and minorities with disabilities; and transportation.
• These regional forums started an advocacy network that launched the disability rights movement in Kansas.

1977 – KCDC Executive Director Joe Greve led a group of disability rights activists to Kansas City, Missouri, to participate in the nationwide coordinated effort to protest the federal government’s four year delay in publishing final section 504 regulations.

1978 – KCDC Executive Director Joe Greve and Howard Moses led a statewide advocacy effort that successfully secured passage of Kansas Laws including:

• SB 513 - Established the State’s first requirements for accessible parking. (K.S.A. 58-1311, as amended)
• SB 514 - Extended the requirement that newly constructed federal and state building and facilities include privately owned buildings, structures, recreational areas, streets, curbing or sidewalks, and 10 percent of rental apartment complexes and temporary lodging facilities with 20 or more units be made accessible (K.S.A. 58-1301 et al, as amended.)
• SB 515 - Established the Kansas income tax credit for making a person’s home or business accessible (K.S.A. 79-32,175 to 79-32,180 as amended)
• HB 3201 - Established accessible parking permits in the form of license plates and placards to be suspended from the rear view mirror. (K.S.A. 9-1,124 et al, as amended)
• HB 3225 - Prohibited insurance companies from charging unfair discriminatory rates for, or refusing to provide life or disability insurance solely because a person has a disability. (K.S.A. 40-2,109, as amended)

Joe and Wheelchair Basketball

Joe was also an avid wheelchair basketball player. He was a member of the Shawnee County Wheelchair Basketball team as a starting guard. In 1976, their team won first place in the Great Plains All Conference and also won first place in the International competition in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Michael Lechner (January 23, 1948 - October 29, 1990)

Michael Lechner was born into an Air Force family traveling the world while he grew up. He was not disabled as a child. He became paraplegic after a spinal cord injury in a car accident after graduating from high school which ended his plans to join the Air Force. He graduated from Emporia State University with a degree in psychology in 1974. While in college, he broke his neck in a fall becoming quadriplegic. He went to work for the State of Kansas Division of Personnel Services.

He became the executive director of the Kansas Advisory Committee on Employment of the Handicapped (KACEH) in 1982. Michael did several things that improved Kansas for people with disabilities. One was teaching people to work and advocate together to make changes happen. The Kansas Act Against Discrimination protected the rights of people with physical disabilities in employment as long as they did not need an accommodation. There was no protection of rights for people with mental disabilities in employment and none for any person with a disability in housing. Mike led the advocacy to include protection of rights in employment and house for all people with disabilities every year he was director. He taught grassroots advocates how to write testimony and letters, and talk to their legislators about the issues. When the legislature tried to compromise and provide protection of rights for people with physical disabilities in employment and housing, Mike refused saying people with mental illness needed those protections also and he couldn’t support anything less. He worked hard to keep the disability community together and advocating for improvements for all people with disabilities.

Kansas Disability Caucus

Another important thing he did was to coordinate the First Kansas Disability Caucus. It was the end result of a satisfaction survey taken of Kansans with disabilities. This lengthy survey asked people with disabilities to rank each issue on importance to them and how satisfied they were. When the results were tabulated, the top five issues that were most important and people were the least satisfied with were employment, access, personal care assistance (PCA), transportation and education. The Kansas Disability Caucus was a public forum to find solutions to improve satisfaction with each of the issues from the survey. KACEH partnered with the Kansas Association of Centers for Independent Living (KACIL) to hold this multi-day event in Salina, Kansas in 1988. Several solutions were developed and participants were given training on how to advocate for change. After the caucus, the attendees were updated on progress and informed about how they could advocate for the changes. The Kansas Disability Caucus continues through the coordination of the Statewide Independent Living Council of Kansas (SILCK) on a bi-annual basis.

Improvement in Personal Care Assistance

The most notable change from the first disability caucus was the change made to the Nurse Practice Act to allow personal care attendants to provide assistance to people with disabilities in their homes. Before this happened, registered nurses provided attendant services. The service was expensive which reduced the number of hours a person could have from the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) program. Also, the person receiving services had to wait until the nurse came to provide the services. The change opened the door to having HCBS waivers that allowed for self-directed care giving the recipient of services the power to direct the attendant to arrive at specific time and have control over how the services were provided. This created the opportunity for these people to work. Kansas was considered one of the most progressive states because of these changes.

Passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Mike worked to inform Kansans with disabilities about the need for passage of the ADA and how to advocate for that passage. This was before the Internet and list serves, so information was sent out either by telephone or postal service mail. As Justin Dart and many other people with disabilities who advocated for passage, Mike reminded people regularly that we needed to support changes that helped all people with disabilities not just people with their own disability. An example of this came when an amendment was proposed to ban people with HIV from holding food service jobs. Many Kansans with disabilities didn’t see the need to oppose this amendment because it didn’t affect them. Mike and others worked hard to stop this discrimination (HIV isn’t passed through food handling) and to alleviate concerns by substituting an amendment that requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services publish a list of diseases that could be passed through food handling. Mike died of cancer just 3 months after the ADA was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush. Fortunately he was well enough to attend the signing ceremony.

Legacy

Having worked diligently in the mid to late 80s to amend the Kansas Acts Against Discrimination to protect the full range of people with disabilities, Mike was not around to see that eventually happen.

With federal law finally in place to protect all people with disabilities against discrimination in both public and private venues, the Kansas Legislature finally saw the light Mike had been shedding on this civil rights issue for many years. So, a debt is owed to Michael Lechner by all people with disabilities in Kansas and in fact all Kansans for his courageous advocacy and unbending principles. He lived a wonderful and joyous life despite his many physical limitations, but his mind was sharp and he was a tremendous role model and friend to the many people in Kansas and across the county who knew him.

Remembrances

My favorite Michael Lechner remembrance was when I was the Director at the Whole Person in KC, I was asked by Dr. Marvin Keene to teach a class on independent living at Emporia State University. The class was part of a curriculum for graduate students in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling. During each class I invited people involved in the Movement to discuss their view on history and the movement as a whole.

The class was an hour and a half and the guest speaker usually took about 45 minutes.

I invited Mike to talk about his experiences and his job and he gladly said he’d come. Dr. Keene was also there to hear Mike’s presentation.

The night of the class he came and I introduced him to the class and let him take over. He asked if they were VR counselors and they said yes. He said “When a person with a disability comes to you for help, give them whatever they f----ing want!” He asked if there were any questions and then he wheeled out of the room. I didn’t know what to say to students, except, that he was right and that there would be people who would come and meet with them and demand services. Try to stretch that out to 45 minutes!

It so captures Michael and his “no messing around, let’s get to the point” attitude about life.

I remember going to his house one night and hearing some of his very unusual but intriguing stories that he wrote. I couldn’t decide if they were sexist, satire, sci fi, or just bizarre!

I also recall Mike working on HB 2012, the self directed HCBS bill. There he used his guile and his personal experiences to win over Emaline Correl. She was the staffer for the legislative committee responsible for the bill. His testimony was also very compelling and yet unapologetic for the need for the legislation.

Maggie Shreve, Director of The Whole Person in the 1980's

Howard Moses (December 6, 1950 - October 28, 2001)

"My primary memory among these three is of Howard Moses. Howard was a moving force behind our very first Research & Training Center (RTC) application for an RTC on Independent Living. He and I and Jim Budde (and others) worked on that proposal in the early 80's. I think that may have been before many centers for independent living (CILs) were actually set up. I'm thinking he was also involved in advocating for the law establishing community CILs."
- Jean Ann Summers

"When I was a social psychology graduate student at KU, I was a research assistant at the Research and Training Center on Independent Living. Howard worked in the same area – his office was next door to me for much of that time. He was a great mentor and go-to person when I had questions about the systems which people with disabilities had to deal with – medically, educationally, and so forth. Having met advocates and independent living center (ILC) directors from around the country during that time, I had the opportunity to recommend Howard to Justin Dart when he came to Kansas City after being appointed by President Reagan as Director of the Rehabilitation Services Administration. Justin asked if I knew anybody who would be a great assistant for him and my answer was immediate: Howard Moses. Soon thereafter, I was in Washington, D.C. and it was my pleasure to be able to take Howard around to meet some of the key people I had come to know such as Evan Kemp and Bob Funk and a few others."
- Ray Petty

"Howard was the quieter advocate, but so effective at diplomatically handling multiple and complex issues."
- Maggie Shreve

"Howard was one of the hardest working, intelligent, sensitive and cleaver men I've known. I heard his name many times when he was working as an aid to Congressman Jim Slattery. I'd written letters to him advocating for various bills. Nobody ever mentioned that he was a man with a disability. And there was no reason. But I have to say, that I was completely blown away when I first met him. Knowing the times, I knew how much more he had to work to get an opportunity to work in Washington.

Then I remember when he was in Washington working for Judy Heumann in the office of special education and rehabilitation services. His strong background in national politics made him an invaluable resource as we (National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) and National Council on Disability (NCD)) worked with OSERS on issues.

I remember so many times counting on his wisdom as to how to work through internal NCIL issues as well as national policy issues. He was a mentor and a friend. At times he could be really silly, and help me to not take it all so seriously.

I remember talking with him about some of the incidences he faced in Washington around the prejudice of being both a disabled and a gay man. He got beaten up way too many times."
- Gina McDonald

"In 1978 a group of us were charged with developing an option for individuals with severe disabilities. We discovered the demonstration Center for Independent Living (CIL) in Berkeley and decided to use the CIL model. I went to the Kansas Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) office to seek funding for what became Independence Incorporated (II). The man in charge was Howard Moses. We became immediate friends. He was an easy guy to like. He was also a guy that you could work with and get things done. And we shared great enthusiasm and excitement about developing the first ILC in Kansas and one of the first in the country. Our emphasis was always on enabling individuals and making system changes.

In 1979 a request for a proposal for a rehabilitation research and training center (RRTC) on Independent Living was circulated. Howard and I must have seen it at about the same time. I don't know who called who first, but there was no doubt that we were going to involved consumer from the beginning and that we would make an all out effort.

We were awarded the RRTC grant in 1980 and established the Research and Training Center on Independent Living. Howard became the training director. He did a great job, but he was often hard to find as he was building a grass roots constituencies all over the state.

Howard left a large hole to fill when he went to Washington. And I missed his grin/smile and his friendship. We kept in touch and worked on various efforts and projects. When he returned to Kansas, I was elated to have my old friend back. Of course, I was genuinely saddened by his untimely passing. We were blessed to have had Howard. His accomplishments were strategic and many, his respect for others was sincere and unconditional, and his friendship was rare and genuine."
- Jim Budde

"Howard spent countless hours answering constituent calls and complaints. He did it with his characteristic patience and firm belief that Kansans are fair and compassionate and would support the ADA when they had the facts. He was right! Kansas is a better place because of the ADA and other state and national laws that Howard, Joe and Michael supported.

Kansas is also a better place because all three of these Kansans passed our way and touched our lives! They helped teach us that caring for our neighbors is a timeless value we should cherish because it strengthens our community and it is the right thing to do! Thank you Howard, Joe and Michael."
- Jim Slattery

Bob Dole - Kansas Advocate for All People with Disabilities

Early Life

Kansas’ disability history cannot be written without including Bob Dole, retired United States senator (1969 – 1996), World War II soldier and native Kansan. Growing up during the Great Depression in Russell, Kan., Sen. Dole’s high school athletics earned him a spot on Phog Allen’s basketball team at the University of Kansas. Along with playing basketball at KU, he studied pre-med, played football and ran track.

After just one year at KU, Sen. Dole enlisted in the U.S. Army and was sent with the 10th Mountain Division to Italy during World War II. On April 14, 1945, an exploding artillery shell left him gravely injured. After a prolonged recovery period he recovered all but use of his right arm and hand. Sen. Dole received two purple hearts for his injuries and a bronze star for assisting a downed radio man. He later wrote about this life-changing experience in his book, “One Soldier’s Story.”

After more than three years of hospital stays, surgeries and recovery, Sen. Dole returned to school and graduated from Washburn University with a law degree in 1952.

Political Career

Sen. Dole’s political career took off when he became Russell County’s youngest state representative in 1950, followed by eight years as Russell County attorney. In 1960, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives where he served for six years. He stepped onto the national political scene in 1968 upon his election to the U.S. Senate where he was re-elected four times and became Minority and Majority Leader before retiring in 1996.

Sen. Dole was President Gerald Ford’s vice presidential running mate in 1976, but the election was lost to Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale. He was a Republican presidential candidate in both 1980 and 1988 before winning the Republican nomination for the 1996 election.

Friend and former employee in the Senate, Anthony Fadale had this to say about Senator Dole’s advocacy of people with disabilities:

I can give you some perspective on how the Senator views the issue of disability. In my view he has been a champion for disability rights ever since being almost mortally wounded in Italy in 1945. Along with being one of the leaders in passing disability legislation like the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Senator also brings disability to the forefront in small and large ways. While I was in Washington I saw this in several ways. 1) I learned that the 1st speech the Senator gave on the Senate floor involved disability. This also occurred on the anniversary of him being wounded. 2) The Senator also advocated for having disability recognized by the State Department Human Rights Report. I was honored to work with him on this initiative in 1993.

Along with legislation the Senator would conduct private acts which support people with disabilities like scholarships available for students with disabilities. The Dole Foundation was also established to highlight people with disabilities. Even after leaving the Senate he has been a champion for people with disabilities supporting fellow World War II veterans to see the World War II memorial. He also co-chaired a commission for President Bush looking at issues impacting veterans. Most recently in 2012 the Senator was on the floor of the Senate advocating for ratification of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.

Sen. Dole’s first speech on the Senate floor can be read in the Congressional Record for April 14, 1969, pages 8816 through 8820.

Retirement

After retiring from public office, Sen. Dole agreed to entrust his congressional papers to the University of Kansas, to endow a place for students to learn the importance of public service. In 2003, the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics opened and has become a center of political research, public programming and community enrichment.

Sen. Dole’s post-political achievements are great and numerous. One of his greatest achievements was winning the 2008 World Food Prize for the International Food for Education Program created by him and Sen. McGovern. He was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, served as the Chairperson for the International Commission on Missing Persons, and co-chaired the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund to raise money for families affected by the 9/11 attacks.

His dedication to Veteran’s has remained a priority during his retirement through his work on the World War II Memorial, the Wounded Warriors Commission and the Honor Flight Network.

He has also spent time writing and appearing on television. He has written several books, including two on political and presidential humor. His television appearances have ranged from comic to political commentary, appearing on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” “Saturday Night Live,” “Larry King Live,” and “60 Minutes.”

Locally, Sen. Dole has been named 2004 Kansan of the Year, received the Washburn University School of Law Lifetime Achievement Award, and received one of the first honorary degrees from KU. In 2011, Sen. Dole was recognized, during Kansas’ sesquicentennial celebration year, with the first plaque on the Kansas Walk of Honor at the Topeka Statehouse.

He lives in Washington, D.C with his wife Elizabeth and is special counsel at the Washington, D.C. law firm of Alston & Bird.

On April 22, 2014, Former Senator Dole spoke at the Dole Institute in Lawrence while on his Thank You Tour through Kansas.

Source: Robert J. Dole Archive & Special Collections

Compiled by Martha Gabehart, May 2013
Edited by Heather Anderson, Dole Institute of Politics, May 2013

Brian Ellefson

Having a disability all his life Brian has taken his personal and professional experiences and has utilized those experiences to assist other individuals with disabilities so they can reach their goals and their fullest potential of independence.

Brian has been in the field of social services for almost 30 years. Brian has a Bachelor of Science degree in Rehabilitation Services with a minor in Psychology. He has a Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling. He received both his degrees from Emporia State University.

Brian has worked for 3 different organizations. He worked at The Whole Person as Volunteer Coordinator, Wyandotte Developmental Disability Services (now known as ResCare) as Quality Services Manager and Coalition For Independence as Independent Living Specialist and Director of the Independent Living Program. His vast work experience has given him the opportunity to work with a variety of organizations and individuals with various disabilities.

Over the years, Brian has volunteered his time with several organizations. He’s also volunteered his time with various groups, programs and events. That lists includes:

1. Vice President of the Board – Coalition For Independence
2. President of the Board – Coalition For Independence
3. Member of EARN (Employment Assistance Resource Network) and Communications Secretary for EARN
4. Member of Johnson County Transition Council and Communications Secretary for Transition Council
5. Member of Life Option’s Committee – Johnson County Transition Council
6. Serves as Commissioner – Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns
7. Chairperson – Greater Kansas City Disability Mentoring Day Committee
8. Member of the Board – Spina Bifida Association of Kansas City
9. Member of Provider Leadership Network
10. Member of the Board – The Whole Person, Inc.
11. President of the Board – The Whole Person, Inc.

Brian’s hobbies/interests include; bowling, playing pool, cards, watching football, baseball, golf, collecting mugs and caps, going to movies and several other things.

Roger Frischenmeyer

Roger Frischenmeyer has spent the last nine years as an Independent Living Specialist with the Prairie Independent Living Resource Center in Hutchinson, Ks. As a person who has been blind most of his life, Roger uses his knowledge and experience to empower the customers he works with and to assist them to become advocates for themselves.

Growing up as a person with a disability, Roger learned early on the importance of advocating for himself. He now uses his story as a tool to motivate youth with disabilities to become empowered adults. Recently, he has created an advocacy notebook and curriculum which he has used to empower more than 60 youth with disabilities. He has also helped to establish an annual global youth service day in Hutchinson showing young people the importance of community service. With these and other programs, Roger has been a part of changing young lives from “youth who let things happen to them” to “young adults who make things happen for themselves and their communities”.

Roger is the former chair of the Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns. He is also on the State Disability Mentoring Day Steering Committee, the Reno, Rice, McPherson, Harvey and Marion County Disability Mentoring Day Steering Committee, and the McPherson, Harvey and Reno County Transition Councils. He is the President of the Kansas Youth Empowerment Academy board of directors and a former board member of the Sexual Assault Domestic Violence Center in Hutchinson, Kansas. He is a graduate of the 2007 Spring Class of Leadership, Reno County, and the chair of that organization’s advisory board.

When not working Roger enjoys reading, listening to music, surfing the internet and spending time with friends and family. Roger was a delegate to the 2004 Democratic National convention in Boston and is an avid fan of all things political. Roger is also a fan of the Kansas City Royals, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Kansas Jayhawks.

Martha Gabehart

Martha Gabehart has been the Executive Director for the Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns (KCDC) from 1990 to the present (for over 22 years) and has been with the Commission for 31 years. Under Martha’s leadership the following was accomplished.

Though not disabled when she was hired, she acquired diabetes in 2006. When the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Amendments Act was passed in 2010, the inclusion of bodily functions in the definition of disability brought her into the community.

Biography - Activism (as Director)

In 1991, Martha was hired as the Executive Director of KCDC. That year she organized people with disabilities to advocate for passage of a bill to amend the Kansas Act Against Discrimination (KAAD) to align it with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Fair House Amendments Act of 1988. The bill was passed with the help of many disability advocates. This expanded protection of rights in employment, housing and public services to all people with disabilities.

In 1991 through 1994, KCDC became the single point of contact for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) information. Materials were distributed to most state agencies and local governments with regard to their requirements for program and physical access. A series of ADA employment presentations were made in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Human Resources (KDHR) Employer Institutes and International Association of Workforce Professionals (IAWP) conferences to teach employers and employees about their rights and responsibilities under the ADA’s employment title. Over 100 presentations were made to over 2000 employers and KDHR staff. ADA presentations were also made to community-based organization staff so train them on their rights and requirements of the accessibility guidelines. Copies of the regulations and Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) were provided to community-based organizations throughout the state.

Prior to 1998, KCDC had heard from several community based organizations that something needed to be done to bring youth with disabilities into the advocacy arena. KCDC formed a coalition of organizations and state agencies to investigate using the California Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) model to reach out to youth with disabilities. California held a training session for other states to learn how to start their own YLF. The Resource Center for Independent Living (RCIL) paid for the first two years and the first Kansas YLF (KSYLF) was held in 2001.

1999-2000 – KCDC received a grant from the Kansas Rehabilitation Services (KRS) to work with workforce center staff in Local Area III (Wyandotte, Leavenworth and Johnson counties) on providing good customer service to job seekers with disabilities. Public forums were held to determine job seekers needs and expectations as well as workforce center staff needs. Training was provided to staff and mystery customers were employed as pre- and post-training evaluators.

2001 and ongoing – KCDC starts Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) in Topeka, Kansas by coordinating a committee of members from schools, the local workforce center and local disability organizations. Ten people with disabilities participated in the Topeka activities. DMD is an activity that brings job seekers with disabilities together with employers through job shadowing, tours, job fairs and workshops to give job seekers and employers an opportunity to learn about employment opportunities. In 2002, KCDC staff began the process of expanding DMD activities throughout the state. DMD has grown to include over 750 mentees, over 30 counties and over 250 employers across the state.

2002 – KCDC created the Disability Support Maps for ease of access to resources across the state. The maps have grown from about eight maps to 31 maps sharing information about social services, employment, discrimination, education, transportation, veterans, and more. The maps are widely known as a resource across the state by state agencies as well as community based organizations.

2002 – 2003 – KCDC receives a Work Incentive Grant from the United State Department of Labor to work with workforce center staff in Local Area II to improve services to job seekers with disabilities. A partnership with Heartland Works – One-Stop Operator for Local Area II – was formed. The following items were developed because of this grant:

The Disability Resources Web site was developed on the kansasjoblink.com platform so that staff would have easy access to information about working with job seekers with disabilities. This Web site is the first to allow free access to the Learning Disability Screen developed by the University of Kansas, Division of Adult Studies. A desk reference guide to the Web site was developed and copies were taken to each workforce center in Kansas. All workforce center staff was given a copy of the guide and trained on what was (and still is) available on the Web site.

Policy on providing accessibility technology at each workforce center was developed and adopted by each local area and the Workforce Network of Kansas Board.

Accessible technology was installed and staff was trained in all Local Area II Workforce Centers. Technology was purchased and installed in several other workforce centers.

2003 – KCDC was part of the implementation committee for the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). KCDC staff contacted independent living centers around the state to either help local election officials survey all polling places in Kansas or teach them how to survey polling places to help identify barriers that needed to be removed. Many independent living centers did the surveys on their own and gave the information to the local election official. Because of this effort, no complaints were received about access to polling places in the 2004 presidential election.

2004 – KCDC became aware through the Disability Caucus and calls to KCDC from parents with disabilities that it appeared at times the Foster Care system was taking children from their homes because their parents had disabilities. There appeared to be no other reason for them being removed from their homes. Efforts by community-based organizations were ineffective in getting the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) investigate the issue.

KCDC notified the disability community of an opportunity to testify on this issue at the Children’s Issues Interim Committee meeting in November 2003. Over 15 parents and advocates were present and participated by presenting their stories.

KCDC staff met with Secretary Schalansky about the issue in the spring of 2004. She agreed to have a stakeholder and SRS staff meeting regarding the issue. This meeting generated a review and revision of case manager training materials to update policy and to remove discriminatory references to parents with disabilities (i.e. references to removing children from their homes solely because a parent has a disability)

SRS later held a two-day training (coordinated by SILCK) for SRS case managers regarding working with parents with disabilities. An expert from California spoke about the importance of reviewing wrap around services that help parents with disabilities raise their children if there is a question about their ability to parent.

SRS assigned a family involvement coordinator to review cases that come up where a parent feels they are being discriminated against, to review the situation and provide continuing education with case managers as needed.

2006 – KCDC started the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Information Network. Created to provide a local point of contact for city, county and state ADA coordinators, the network provides a continuing flow of information to help coordinators learn their responsibilities and access the most current information for enforcement agencies.

2007-2009 – KCDC worked with The Adjutant General’s office as a resource for policy and training. KCDC developed emergency preparedness training for service providers and local emergency managers called “The 4th P workshops” to increase the awareness and communication between these two groups.

2008 – KCDC partnered with the Kansas Mental Health Coalition and NAMI-Kansas to do statewide Legislative Advocacy Trainings. Through KCDC encouragement, the training was open to all people with disabilities and out of that new partnerships with mental health and other disability organizations were formed.

2008 - 2009 – KCDC and Working Healthy partnered to work with businesses to start Business Leadership Networks (BLN) in cities across Kansas. A BLN is a group of businesses who believe in hiring people with disabilities and work together to help other businesses hire, manage, retain and market to people with disabilities. BLN’s were started in the Kansas City Metro area and Salina.

2010-2011 - KCDC received a grant from Health Advocate Associates to market Think Beyond the Label (a National marketing campaign regarding reducing barriers for employment for people with disabilities targeted to business). The grant was specifically to create a Kansas website for business and to hire two people: a person to market the website and concept to employers and a website manager/hotline receptionist. The project was a success and laid the groundwork for contacts, openness and interest in a Business Leadership Network in Wichita in 2012-2013.

Awards and Recognition

• State and Local Awards
• James E. Butler Advocacy Award from the Kansas Human Rights Commission 2013
• Kansas Rehabilitation Association Outstanding Service Award 2006
• Kansas Chapter of the International Association of Personnel in Employment Security (IAPES) 2003 Group Specialized Customer Service Award
• Kansas IAPES 2002 Specialized Customer Service Award
• Kansas IAPES Outstanding Active Member Award 1989

References

Catalyst for Change on the KCDC website

Jean Hall

Jean P. Hall is an Associate Research Professor and Director of the Institute for Health and Disability Policy Studies at the University of Kansas. Diagnosed with systemic lupus as a graduate student in 1990, she quickly learned about barriers to accessing adequate health insurance for people with disabilities. Having not worked enough quarters to qualify for SSDI, she was advised to divorce her husband and go onto SSI and Medicaid (she did neither). In 1992, she began working at Independence, Inc., the Lawrence center for independent living, and became a strong advocate for health care reform. Since that time, she has presented testimony and provided comments numerous times at both the state and national levels on disability issues and policies. After taking some time off to spend with her infant triplets, Jean completed her PhD in Disability Studies in 2003.

Her passion for health and disability issues has driven her research efforts, which have included private, state, and federal projects related to education, employment, and health care for people with disabilities in the educational, welfare to work, One-Stop, TW-WIIA, Medicaid, and Medicare systems. Jean was the principal investigator for the evaluation of the Kansas Medicaid Buy-In program and the Kansas Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment. The Demonstration, one of only four awarded nationally by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), tested the hypothesis that providing comprehensive health coverage to people with potentially disabling conditions can prevent or forestall their progression to federal disability benefits. Findings from the study indicate that inadequate health insurance, or under-insurance, plays a role in the path to disability. She is currently leading a federal project to investigate the relationship between health and employment for people with disabilities and is working with a national team to make recommendations on changes to the federal disability system to better support employment.

Jean serves on the board of the Kansas Health Consumer Coalition and is a member of the National Council on Independent Living, the Kansas Public Health Association, and the Academy Health Disability Research Interest Group. She has also served on the Governor’s Medicare Part D Committee, as a mentor for the Kansas Youth Leadership Forum, as a two-term Chair and Commissioner on the Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns, on the Healthy Kansans 2010 Health Disparities Workgroup, and on the Boards of Independence Inc. and the Kansas Association of Centers for Independent Living. She enjoys spending time with her now teen-age children and, when possible, reading.

Gina McDonald

Birthday: March 31, 1952

Occupation: Director for Human Relations Department for the City of Salina, Kansas and ADA Coordinator

Disability: Head injury as a result of injury as a child, Sleep Apnea, disc problems with her back and some hearing loss

Early Life

As a child, Gina hit a taxi cab while riding her bike. She had a skull fracture. At that time she probably would have died, but the accident happened right next to a hospital. Workers on the roof saw the accident, called the emergency room and the ambulance got to her quickly. She had trouble with short term memory loss and some hearing loss. Her parents never let her use her limitations to get out of doing what she needed to do. She was expected to carry on and move on with what needed to be done and she credits that for her attitude that we all must carry on and not use a limitation as an excuse.

While she was in high school she and a friend wanted to do something and needed money. The friend suggested going to her mother’s work to get the money. She worked at a developmental disability hospital on Long Island. They went into the occupational therapy room and saw everyone dressed in diapers and crawling around on the floor. One man appeared to be crawling after what looked like a piece of cucumber. Gina and her friend were shocked and appalled to see this happening. Both of them were so angry to see that going on. They asked if they needed volunteers to help getting the people dressed. They were rushed out of the room, told not to tell anyone and that no one was supposed to be back there. This experience motivated her to want to go into independent living.

Advocacy

Gina went to Marymount College in Salina. After graduation with a degree in Sociology, she did internships at Kansas Vocational Rehabilitation Center where they assess people with disabilities’ needs and helped them find jobs. She also had an internship at OCCK in Salina. She got a job as staff in the sheltered workshop at OCCK. During that time, OCCK paid for Gina to attend graduate school where she graduated from the University of San Francisco with a Masters degree in Rehabilitation Administration.

She helped find jobs for clients in the community, but because they were living in the group homes, the schedule would not allow them to get certain jobs that didn’t fit in with the group home schedule.

A few years later the state offered an independent living grant, so she did research on independent living and wrote the grant. They were successful the next year and this got her into independent living. While not an independent living center grant, this started OCCK’s independent living program. This moved people with disabilities out of the group homes and into apartments making it easier for them to find work in the community. This helped staff realize that people with disabilities could live independently.

During this time, the centers for independent living (CIL) in the state formed the Kansas Association of Centers for Independent Living (KACIL) and Gina was elected the first president.

She became the director of The Whole Person CIL in Kansas City, Missouri. She got more involved nationally with the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL). The Whole Person was involved in advocacy work in Kansas and Missouri and she spent a lot of time in Jefferson City doing advocacy work.

While at a NCIL conference she saw a man with a cowboy hat in a manual chair looking lost. She asked if he was lost and he said he was looking for the main meeting room. She offered to push him there and found out a little later that it was Justin Dart, their main speaker.

After the law was passed that created the self-directed care Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waiver program, she talked to Marlene Finney about implementation of the program. Marlene said she couldn’t find someone to help get the program started. Gina offered to help and went to work for the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) to start the program. After a few months she needed something more to do and started working with Mary Pat Beals with the Kansas Head Injury Association on the head injury waiver, which became the first self directed Head Injury Waiver in the nation.

CILS were hesitant to implement the self-directed services, because they were afraid of liability. Eventually, Mike Donnelly with the Topeka Independent Resource Center offered to provide services all over the state. Ray Petty with Independence, Inc. in Lawrence agreed to take on a few also. The CILs then saw they could make money and not have any liability, so they started providing the services.

After these programs got off the ground, Mike Donnelly, then president of KACIL, hired her and gave them a grant to have her earn enough money to make KACIL run independently. KACIL received a contract from SRS to go out and perform all of the Developmental Disability (DD) reviews to make sure everyone was in the correct service tier. They were able to hire people to do the reviews and ended up with several thousand dollars to use for KACIL. She worked half time doing consulting across the country and half time as the director which brought in money that they could use to lobby. KACIL was probably her favorite job. Gina worked with Martha Gabehart and the Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns to bring advocates together and develop a “Statement of Solidarity” where advocates for many different disabilities and Unions promised to work together to get funding for community based programs.

Kansas, with the directors from centers for independent living (CILs) and Shannon Jones from the Statewide Independent Living Council of Kansas (SILCK), advocated for many laws to benefit people with disabilities. They also substantially increased the funding for the Home and Community Services Based Waivers.

During her time at NCIL, she chaired the Health Care Committee during the time that President Clinton proposed Health Care for All. Justin Dart worked closely with Gina during the advocacy for that bill.

She also worked on the Fair Housing Amendments Act, the Civil Rights Restoration Act, the Air Carriers Access Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as an advocate in Washington. Marca Bristo, who was NCIL President at the time, along with Justin became mentors for Gina.

Gina became president of NCIL and worked with Congress on reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act and the statewide independent living councils. At that time Governor Joan Finney’s Chief of Staff met with Gina and KACIL and talked about the need for a disability liaison in the governor’s office. Renee Gardner was hired in that role. After the reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act was passed, Gina worked with Governor Finney’s office on setting up a 501c3 SILCK. Martha Hodgesmith helped set it up and then Gina provided training on how to get non-profit SILCs set up in other states.

In her last year as NCIL President, Gina was appointed by President Clinton and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve on of the National Council on Disability. During her time on the NCD, reports were issued on how IDEA was being implemented in schools, a review of the ADA and how it was being enforced, and a report on mental illness in the US.

After 14 years with KACIL, she was ready for another change. She worked for Kansas Children’s Service League (KCSL) for a while on advocacy efforts for children’s right for a couple of years.

She then had the opportunity to work for the City of Salina, Kansas as their Director of the Department of Human Relations and the ADA coordinator. She remains active with OCCK as a board member and as Board President for Independent Connection, the Center for Independent Living in Salina. She volunteers for the Kansas Youth Empowerment Academy’s (KYEA) Kansas Youth Leadership Forum (KYLF). Gina also serves on the Board of Women Helping Women, a not for profit that raises money to assist women in crisis.

Awards

• Nov. 1989 - Missouri Association of Centers for Independent Living Award
• October, 1990 - Task Force on the Rights and Empowerment of Americans with Disabilities - ADA Award
• May, 1991 - National Council on Independent Living President's Award
• April, 1992 - Kansas Association of Licensed Private Child Care Agencies Advocacy Award
• May, 1995 - National Council on Independent Living Legislative & Advocacy Award
• April, 1996 - Directors Award from Self Initiated Living Options, Inc. Long Island, New York.
• May, 1996 - Justin Dart "Democracy" Award. (Justin awarded me 4 silver Jefferson cups for work on disability rights and Health care for all) These are my most prized awards!
• June, 1999 - ADAPT Award

Compiled by Martha Gabehart from an interview with Gina McDonald

Chris Owens

Chris Owens was born with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), an eye disease where the vision deteriorates over time. As a child she was considered legally blind but she had a lot of usable vision. She was the only student with visible disabilities who attended public school in her home town of Pretty Prairie. After graduating from high school she attended Bethel College in North Newton where she obtained a Bachelors degree in Psychology. Later on she attended Emporia State University where she received a Masters Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling.

She is currently (10/2010) the Executive Director at Prairie Independent Living Resource Center, Inc. (PILR). Her duties vary from day to day, but overall she oversees the Center’s fiscal and programmatic activities, supervises staff and promotes PILR in the community.

She has been a mentor to young people with disabilities. Although it is a part of her job, she would do it even if it wasn’t. Mentors played an important part in her life and she wants to return that to others.

She is married and has two grown daughters. Her daughters are married and each have two children of their own. She says being a grandma is the most wonderful thing in the world! She loves spending time with her children and grandchildren. She and her husband have an almost nightly Scrabble game and when the weather is nice they take their tandem bike out for a spin. She also loves to read and crochet. Her day is not complete until she has solved the daily crypto-quip from the newspaper. She also enjoys keeping in contact with family and friends via email. She enjoys cooking but not after being at work all day. That’s for weekends.

Carrie Greenwood

Early Life

Carrie Greenwood was born on June 26, 1983 in Topeka, KS. She is a lifelong Topeka resident. Carrie was born with a physical disability called Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita (AMC). This disability is fairly rare as it affects about 1 in 3000 people. For Carrie, it causes her to have weaker muscles, the absence of certain muscles, and multiple contractures in her bones and joints. Carrie also had Scoliosis, which is a curvature of the spine, that was corrected through surgery in 1995. She uses a wheelchair for mobility in the community and a walker for mobility at home. Carrie grew up, with her sister and parents, in a very supportive environment, and, from birth, has had high expectations placed on her to succeed despite her disability.

Education

Carrie attended most of her early years of school within the Shawnee Heights school district in Topeka, KS. After graduating high school, she attended Kaw Area Technical School where she completed the Graphics and Printing Technology program. She then attended Washburn University in Topeka where she obtained an Associate of Applied Science degree in Design Technology. While at Kaw Tech, Carrie was inducted into the National Vocational Technical Honor Society. While at Washburn, she was on the National Dean's List and Presidents Honor Roll.

Occupation and Activism

Carrie Greenwood has a passion for promoting diversity, empowerment, and education amongst ALL people, especially youth and women with disabilities. She expresses her passion through her job and volunteer activities. In 2001, Carrie was selected to attend the first annual Kansas Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities. In the years following, she emerged as a youth leader in the disability community of Kansas. Carrie is now a recognized leader and voice in this community and has had many years of experience empowering people with disabilities. After attending the KSYLF, she began volunteering for this program and this volunteer experience led to a part-time job with the Kansas Youth Leadership Forum. In 2004, she began working as the Graphic Designer for the Resource Center for Independent Living in Topeka. In 2005, Carrie was a part of a group that advocated for funding to open the Kansas Youth Empowerment Academy (KYEA). KYEA officially opened in October of 2005 as a non-profit organization that works to educate, mentor, and support youth with disabilities in Kansas. Carrie worked for three years as the Outreach Coordinator of KYEA. In 2009, she was hired for the position of Program Coordinator. This is her current position within KYEA. In this position, she coordinates such programs as the Kansas Youth Leadership Forum, Empower Me! Challenge, and more. Carrie has had the opportunity to attend national and local conferences and speak to over 300 groups about disability awareness and youth empowerment. She has been a part of the Youth Steering Committee for the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living for the past nine years and currently serves as the Chair of this committee. She has also served on various other committees, including the Kansas Disability Caucus Planning Committee, Working Healthy Advisory Council, Association of Youth Leadership Forums, HEARYouth Committee, and Topeka Transit Advisory Council. Carrie was also a part of a team of youth who advocated for the passage of a Disability Awareness and History Bill in Kansas.

When not immersed in her work with KYEA, Carrie has a second “job” serving as the state coordinator of the Ms. Wheelchair Kansas program. Although this is not a paid position, Carrie in nonetheless passionate about her work with this program. In 2004, Carrie found out about the Ms. Wheelchair America program and knew that she wanted to somehow be a part of it. She found out that Kansas did not have a representative or a program, and, after much contemplation, she decided to start the Ms. Wheelchair Kansas program. Carrie became an Independent Delegate, which automatically gave her the title of Ms. Wheelchair Kansas 2004. She traveled the state educating communities about her platform of “Empowerment of Youth with Disabilities.” She also attended the national competition in Richmond, VA, where she competed for the title of Ms. Wheelchair America 2005. After her year-long reign as titleholder, Carrie became the state coordinator of Ms. Wheelchair Kansas and has served in this position for the past nine years. The mission of Ms. Wheelchair Kansas is to annually select one woman, who is wheelchair mobile, to successfully advocate, educate, and empower all people on a state level. This program is NOT a beauty contest, but rather a competition to select the most articulate, accomplished delegate who serves as a role model and spokesperson for people with disabilities in Kansas. Carrie had a desire to be more involved on a national level as well, so, for past 2 ½ years, she has served in various capacities on the Ms. Wheelchair America Board of Directors. In 2010, she was the Member-at-Large, and, for the past two years, she has served as the Treasurer.

Awards and Recognition

• Featured as a Notable Kansan in Disability Awareness and History Month Resource Guide (2010)
• YWCA Woman of Excellence Award- Special Recognition Category (2008)
• Ms. Wheelchair Kansas 2004
• National Dean's List (2003)
• Presidents Honor Roll at Washburn University (2003)
• National Vocational Technical Honor Society (2003)
• Graduate of Kansas Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities (2001)

Other

In her free time, Carrie enjoys listening to music, reading a good fiction book, shopping, and spending time with friends and family. She is also very involved in her church where she teaches 1st grade Religious Education once a week, serves as a music cantor, and sings with the choir.

Lewis "Tobie" Tyler

Lewis "Tobie" Tyler July 4, 1044 to May 23, 2023.

Tobie Tyler was a resident of Manhattan, Kansas when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed July 26, 1990. He worked tirelessly to make Manhattan more accessible. Eventually he filed a Title II case against the City of Manhattan and won, making his case the first Title II case filed and won after the passage of the ADA.

• Lewis "Tobie" Tyler's Obituary