The Moving Mountains Award was presented to Governor Kathleen Sebelius
by Kansans Mobilizing for Direct Support Workforce Change on June 26, 2006.

(7/06) Originally, brought together through a project of the Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities, Kansans Mobilizing for Direct Support Workforce Change (KMFC) represents a collaboration of self-advocates, family members, educators, service providers, and state agencies committed to improving the status and training of direct support professionals across Kansas. KMFC has three goals: (1) to develop an adequately compensated workforce to support Kansans with developmental disabilities, (2) to develop a competent direct support workforce to ensure safe, appropriate and community focused services to Kansans with developmental disabilities, and (3) to develop a stable and sufficient direct support workforce to support Kansans with developmental disabilities. The support provided under Governor Sebelius’ leadership continues to enable KMFC to advance its goals. The 2007 Kansas budget includes increased reimbursement rates for community service providers that can translate into wage increases for DSPs and funding for the College of Direct Support (CDS). CDS provides high quality training in the areas that have been identified as most important to the work of DSPs. This internet training will now be available to all Kansas DSPs and serve as a keystone for developing training programs.

The Moving Mountains Award was presented to KMFC in February of 2006. This national award, given by the Research and Training Center on Community Living at the University of Minnesota in partnership with the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals, recognizes organizations or agencies that have demonstrated best practice in direct support workforce development. This award was presented to Governor Sebelius and the state of Kansas for ongoing efforts to improve the status of direct support professionals.

For additional information contact Kathleen Olson (620-421-6550 ex 1771) at Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities or go to the Kansans Mobilizing for Direct Support Workforce Change website at www.workforce.lsi.ku.edu .