January 8, 2020
Contact:
Lauren Fitzgerald, Press Secretary
785.581.4730
lauren.fitzgerald@ks.gov
Governor Kelly Announces Reorganization Creating Kansas Department of Human Services
Governor Laura Kelly today announced her intent to submit an executive reorganization order to the Kansas Legislature creating the Kansas Department of Human Services (KDHS). The new agency will include the current programs at the Department for Children and Families (DCF), Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) and the juvenile services division of the Department of Corrections.
Current Secretary of DCF and KDADS, Laura Howard, will lead the new KDHS.
“I ran for office, in part, to ensure that our most vulnerable citizens were protected and that somebody in Topeka was advocating for them,” Kelly said. “One of my key priorities since taking office has been fixing our broken safety net and ensuring that we have a system that is worthy of our citizens. The creation of this new, combined agency reinforces my commitment to our children and families in need and ensures they have access to critical services.
“The creation of the new agency allows us to focus on prevention, so that we can get to these families before their situation becomes a crisis,” Kelly said. “The Department of Human Services will partner with communities across the state to create a single point of entry for those who need access to services for things like child welfare, mental health, economic support and juvenile justice.”
Programs included in the new agency will include:
Governor Kelly recognizes juvenile justice reform has resulted in a reduced need for incarceration while at the same time improving county community corrections case management. Including juvenile services in the new agency continues the improvement process.
“Given the needs of families for community collaboration and overlap, it makes sense to organize juvenile services and child welfare resources under one agency,” Kelly said.
“This is not going to be business as usual,” Howard said. “This combination of services gives us an opportunity to think differently about service delivery. We want Kansans to have seamless access to programs and services that will allow them to thrive. KDHS will be
known for its innovation and willingness to work with community partners.”
“Secretary Howard is the perfect person to lead the new agency,” Kelly said. “I am confident that she has the vision and experience to launch an organization of this magnitude and ensure that all Kansans are well served by a commitment to continuous improvement and accountability.”
Governor Kelly will submit the ERO to the legislature within the first 30 days of session. The ERO becomes effective on July 1, following its transmittal to the Legislature, unless either the Senate or the House takes action on the ERO within 60 calendar days after submission.
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November 6, 2019
Contact:
C.J. Perez
PRB Administrator/PIO
785-296-4523
cj.perez@ks.gov
Kansas Prisoner Review Board Will Not Hold Public Comment Session in December
The Kansas Prisoner Review Board (PRB) will combine public comment sessions for offenders eligible for parole in January and February during its November public comment sessions.
No public comment sessions will be held in December. Members of the public wanting to comment on any of the 23 offenders eligible for parole in February will need to attend one of three public comment sessions held in November. However, the PRB will continue to accept statements for support or opposition of parole via e-mail and mail through the month of December only for those 23 offenders.
To view the list of offenders, visit the Kansas Department of Corrections’ website at: www.doc.ks.gov/prb/public-comment-sessions/offender-list. The 29 offenders named under the November listing are scheduled for parole hearings during the month of December and are eligible for parole in January. The 23 offenders named under the December listing are scheduled for parole hearings during the month of January and are eligible for parole in February.
The three public comment sessions to be held in November are: