Alva Review-Courier -

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas has committed to expanding mental health services to help move more than 600 people from adult care homes into their communities, advocates and state officials announced Tuesday.

The promises to improve services over the next eight years result from a 13-page agreement among two state agencies and five organizations. The agreement heads off a potential lawsuit by the organizations and follows a Disability Rights Center of Kansas report in 2019 alleging that the state violated the federal Americans with Disabilities Act by keeping people in adult care homes unnecessarily.

"They have known this has been a problem for decades," said Rocky Nichols, the center's executive director.

The agreement involves 10 homes known as Nursing Facilities for Mental Health. The state denies that the homes' operations violate Kansas or federal law, but advocates said a lack of services and case workers prevents people from leaving them for less restrictive living.

The state expects to spend $450,000 a year on additional staff and training, but advocates said it's not clear how much more it will spend on services.

Laura Howard, the state's top disability services official, on Tuesday hailed the agreement as "progress for individuals" living in the homes.

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