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The Johnson County Mental Health Center provided more than 35,000 rides last year for people with mental health and intellectual disabilities. The program helps clients get around Kansas City plus offers peer-to-peer support.
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The ordinance adds new protections for victims of hate crimes in Kansas City by adding an enhancement penalty for hate-motivated municipal offenses. It is the Kansas City Council’s first major legislative action this year.
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Does gender dysphoria count as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act? The question lies at the center of a federal lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri earlier this month.
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October is National Employment Disability Awareness Month, but there’s still more organizations need to do to create accessible workplaces.
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Low-income people who are disabled or over 65 — or both — qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid. In 2022, that included 203,000 people in Missouri and 75,000 in Kansas. A bipartisan group of lawmakers agree: the two insurance programs are failing the country's most vulnerable patients.
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Missouri secluded and restrained more than 1,000 students last school year. Justyn Jefferson, an 11-year-old from Belton, is one of them. But because schools don't always report instances of seclusion and restraint, it's difficult to know if they're using the techniques legally.
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Missouri only started collecting data on seclusion and restraint this year, and many schools aren't reporting how often they use the practices. A Belton mom whose son was repeatedly secluded and restrained says schools are also using those methods in inappropriate ways.
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After gaining international recognition from appearing on Netflix’s “Queer Eye” in 2019, Wesley Hamilton of the Disabled But Not Really Foundation decided to open an inclusive gym in Westport.
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About 18 million people with disabilities across the U.S. qualify for housing assistance, but do not receive any. This lack of accessible options is prevalent in Kansas City. Here is a list of local organizations that offer housing assistance to residents with disabilities.
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Employment for workers with disabilities has reached a record high, but one Kansas City mom says it's not enough. Local groups are taking a more individualized approach to hiring, and finding ways to erase barriers.
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Children with intellectual disabilities and behavioral problems sometimes have more serious problems than families can handle. And the results can be tragic.
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Kansas City's new airport terminal carries on the legacy of a 10-year-old who fought for inclusivityOlivia Bloomfield, who died in 2022, was a Leawood resident and avid traveler who was born with congenital muscular dystrophy. In January, Kansas City Council officially dedicated the universal changing restrooms at KCI in her memory.