There is a new group at NCTC and it has been very busy from the beginning of its formation. The name of the group is the NCTC Legislative Advocacy Group. Its members are Linda Hammes, Mary Feek, Jane Schmelzle, Greg Grimm, Becky Schmelzle, Norma Stallbaumer, and Alice Lackey. Late last summer some of the group members traveled to Wichita to attend the Self Advocacy Coalition of Kansas (SACK) annual conference. Among other training sessions, members of the group attended a Legislative Advocacy training session put on by InterHab staff Tom Laing and Matt Fletcher. The same group of people attended training in Topeka in the fall that was offered by the Kansas council on disability concerns. This training was also on how to be a good legislative advocate. Members of the legislative advocacy group have been busy writing letters to state Senator Taddiken and to state Representative Lukert. The group wants to make sure that the legislators are aware of the workforce crises that are negatively impacting the support services that they are receiving. The bottom line that the advocates are trying to get across is that we have to be able to pay staff more so they do not keep leaving for better paying jobs. The advocacy group is also encouraging others to write letters as well.

Advocacy members Linda Hammes, Jane Schmelzle, Becky Schmelzle and Alice Lackey traveled to Topeka on January 30 to meet with Senator Taddiken and Rep. Lukert. Group members told the legislators stories about how they just get used to a staff when the staff leaves. Linda expressed that a current residential staff whom she has come to depend on is studying to be a nurse. Linda stated that she is not looking forward to when this staff graduates and leaves. Becky and Jane told the story about how they are hoping to receive services in a supervised apartment setting soon. Alice shared with the legislators that NCTC is concerned that they will not be able to find staff needed to provide the support that the two women will need to live in an apartment. Alice reported that the group home is full and that there are times that it is hard to staff the services that are currently provided. Both legislators stated that they recognize that service providers like NCTC are suffering from the inability to attract and retain needed staff and that it is time for the State to help deal with this issue in some manner.

The legislative advocacy group plans to continue its letter writing, and to continue to schedule meetings with their legislators at the capitol. The group also plans to attend legislative hearing on bills that are of particular interest to them.