LeadingAge Kansas submitted comments on the Federal Register for the proposed minimum staffing rule. Make sure you submit your comments by November 6th using the LeadingAge Action Alert or on the Federal Register directly. Comments can be however short or long you want them to be, and you can submit multiple comments until the deadline. There are currently over 9,000 comments posted on the rule.

Each of the Kansas federal delegates either signed a joint letter or wrote an individual letter that went to CMS Administrator Brooks-LaSure or HHS Secretary Beccera. We are currently working with Governor Kelly’s office and our Kansas legislative leadership to submit additional letters outlining why the rule will not work for rural states such as Kansas. Read each letter that has been sent: Representative Davids’ office, Joint House Letter, and Joint Senate Letter.

There is still work to be done on the rule. Our federal delegates can co-sponsor legislation H.R. 5796 Protecting Rural Seniors’ Access to Care Act. If passed, the legislation will stop the HHS Secretary from finalizing the rule and establish a nursing workforce advisory group to study and address the issue. If you have not done so, send a quick message to your federal delegates using the LeadingAge Kansas VoterVoice template asking for their support of this legislation.

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Kylee Childs
Kylee Childs, MSW, is the Director of Government Affairs.Since joining the association in 2023, she continues to be a fierce and resourceful advocate for aging services in Kansas. Her professional focus has always been service to others through advocacy. Kylee has a master’s degree in social work from the University of Missouri-Columbia, a bachelor's degree in criminology with a minor in Conflict Analysis and Trauma studies from Kansas State University, and a certificate in Grant Proposal Writing from Fort Hays State University. With a professional background in law enforcement and child welfare, and a successful 2023 legislative practicum with the Children's Alliance of Kansas, she brings rich professional experience to her role as Director of Government Affairs, and a front-line perspective on the needs of health and human services providers in our state. When not working, she's spending time with her two daughters. You can reach Kylee directly at 785.670.8051.

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