Front Page News
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Third Utility Assistance Summit slated
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Housing Authority achieves perfect HUD score
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AAA Welcomes New Director
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"Sharing the Light” project to Help Aging Residents
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North Central Multi-Service Center Receives Honor in Lenexa
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HS&A Employee Nominated for KU Award
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Kansas City’s Medicine Cabinet Coming to Johnson County
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Senior Quest 2008 Set
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Meals on Wheels Needs Volunteers
Third Utility Assistance Summit slated
The Utility Assistance Program of Johnson County Human
Services & Aging, in partnership with utility companies, service providers,
and municipalities of Johnson County, has announced the third annual Utility
Summit. The summit will be noon to 4:00 p.m. Friday, May 23, at 25090 W.
110th Terrace, Olathe. This year’s summit is being coordinated by Atmos
Energy; Kansas Sen. Julia Lynn will be the guest speaker.
The invitation-only Utility Summit, designed for utility companies, service
providers, and municipalities, is designed to share information and address
planning for the needs of low-income Johnson County residents.
The Johnson County Utility Assistance Program provides financial assistance
to households within income guidelines for electric, water, propane, gas,
wastewater, or wood bills. The goal is to avoid utility disconnection,
promoting residents’ safety through adequate heat, cooling, and access to
water. The program is a partnership between Johnson County government, 15
Johnson County cities, and certain utility companies. To apply for
assistance, residents may call 913-715-6653.
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Housing Authority achieves
perfect HUD score
Congratulations to the Johnson County Housing
Authority, which earned a perfect score for the second year in a row with
the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Section 8 Management
Assessment Program.
Through the Section 8 Management Assessment Program, HUD annually evaluates
the performance of each Housing Authority. The goal is to identify
capabilities and deficiencies related to the administration of the Section 8
Program. Each Housing Authority’s performance is rated using 14 indicators:
selection from waiting list, reasonable rent, determination of adjusted
income, utility allowance, housing quality standards (HQS), quality control,
HQS enforcement, expanding housing opportunities, payment standards, timely
annual re-examinations, correct tenant rent calculations, pre-contract HQS
inspections, lease-up, and family self-sufficiency.
The Johnson County Housing Authority scored 100 percent for the second
consecutive year, has been rated a “High Performer” for the past six years,
and ranks among the most elite of Housing Authorities in the country.
AAA welcomes new director
The Johnson County Area Agency on Aging is pleased to
welcome Daniel Goodman as the agency’s new director. He began his work on
May 5. Dan previously was health care policy field administrator for the
Kansas City Metro Region of the Kansas Department of Social and
Rehabilitation Services; the six-county region includes Johnson County. He
brings expertise in home and community-based services, public
administration, aging and disability services, and adult protective
services.
Dan is a graduate of Pittsburg State University and a licensed social worker
for the state of Kansas. He holds the distinction of certified public
manager from the University of Kansas and has received extensive training in
leadership and executive development through the state of Kansas.
Dan lives in Olathe with his wife, Jennifer, and their two daughters,
Alicia, 13, and Emily, 11.
“Sharing the Light” project
to Help Aging Residents
Johnson County Human Services & Aging, in partnership
with Rolling Hills Presbyterian Church, will offer help to residents with
vision impairments through a one-time program called “Sharing the Light.”
The project involves distributing two Topaz video magnification monitors and
approximately 50 high-intensity lights with magnification.
“Sharing the Light” is a collaboration through which the church and the
county agency will help qualifying residents who have age-related eye
diseases, including macular degeneration. Many aging clients need help in
performing daily tasks such as reading prescription labels and food labels,
writing checks, doing crafts, or simply enjoying a good book.
The monitors and lights will be purchased by Rolling Hills with more than
$13,000 collected by the congregation during the church’s Easter offering,
and loaned to clients of the department.
Human Services & Aging provides essential human services as a safety net,
targeting older adults, people with a disability, and low-income families,
in order to support independence, dignity, and self-sufficiency. Rolling
Hills has donated Thanksgiving food baskets to Human Services & Aging
clients for many years.
North Central Multi-Service Center
Receives Honor in Lenexa
The North Central Multi-Service Center was recently
named Best Charitable Organization, in a reader survey sponsored by the
Lenexa Centennial.
The newspaper held its first readership “Best of” elections during February,
with seven categories: People and Places, Real Estate, Automotive, Retail,
Food and Drink, Schools, and Medical. Within those were several
sub-categories. The People and Places category included the category of
Charitable Organization Nonprofit—the category in which the Multi-Service
Center placed first.
The North Central Multi-Service Center is located at 12425 W. 87th St.
Parkway in Lenexa. Three full-time staff members and five regular volunteers
serve people in need of social services who live in the Shawnee Mission
School District. Services include emergency assistance to qualified families
to assist with rent, medical assistance, and special needs and emergency
food assistance through a community supported food pantry.
“It is such an honor to be named Best Charitable Organization,” said Cindy
Muehlberger, center manager. “We have so many wonderful volunteers,
churches, civic groups and organizations in our community that help us
provide emergency food and funds for families that struggle to make ends
meet. We really could not do what we do without them.”
The voters in the election were residents of Lenexa, as the Centennial is
mailed to 15,500 single-family homes in Lenexa every week. The Centennial is
published by the Olathe News.
The North
Central Multi-Service Center can be reached at (913) 715-6650.
HS&A employee nominated for KU award
Nan Frink, community
social services team manager for Johnson County Human Services & Aging, has
been nominated for the MARGO Award for Excellence in Field Instruction for
the 2007–08 academic year. The award, given by the University of Kansas
School of Social Welfare Field Education Program, goes to a field instructor
who shows a strong commitment to the values of the field of social work and
excellent mentoring of social work students.
Frink manages the staffs of five Johnson County Multi-Service Centers and
directly manages the Blue Valley Multi-Service Center.
Kansas City’s Medicine Cabinet Coming to Johnson County
A program providing emergency
assistance for medical needs is now available to qualified participants in
Johnson County.
“Kansas City’s Medicine Cabinet,” a program of the Baptist-Trinity Lutheran
Legacy Foundation, will be available at the five Johnson County
Multi-Service Centers, located in Blue Valley, De Soto, Gardner, Lenexa, and
Spring Hill.
Kansas City’s Medicine Cabinet provides financial assistance for medical
needs such as dental emergencies, diabetic supplies, durable medical
equipment, eyeglasses, some prescription drugs, and a limited inventory of
over-the-counter medical supplies.
For additional information or to schedule a qualifying appointment,
residents are asked to call their nearest multi-service center.
Multi-Service Centers
Senior Quest 2008 Set !
Mark your calendars for 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, at the Overland Park Convention Center—for Senior Quest 2008! This annual event for all area older adults features informational exhibits, free health screenings, free one-on-one advice from local attorneys, entertainment, and food for sale. It’s a wonderful way to spend a festive day while gaining lots of useful information. We’ll see you there! Senior Quest
Meals on Wheels Needs Volunteers
Volunteers are needed to pick up and deliver packaged meals from one of the
10 Neighborhood Centers conveniently located throughout Johnson County.
Meals are delivered between 10:45 and 11:45 a.m. Monday through Friday to
our homebound elderly residents.
Volunteers may deliver daily, weekly, or monthly. Meals may be delivered by
individuals, civic and other groups, faith communities, or employee teams.
Children are welcome to accompany parents.
Your volunteer efforts will help older members of our community remain in
their own homes, living independent and productive lives. For
further information on volunteering, either individually or with an
organization, please call Elvina at 913-715-8895.
Meals on Wheels is a program of the Johnson County Area Agency on Aging.
Our Mission
The mission of Johnson County Human Services and Aging Department is to provide essential human services as a safety net, targeting older adults, people with a disability and low-income families, in order to support independence, dignity and self-sufficiency.
Human Services & Aging
Director - Deborah Collins
11811 S. Sunset Drive, Suite #1300
Olathe, KS 66061-7056
(913) 715-8800 : voice
(913) 715-8825 : fax
(913) 894-8822 : TTY
E-mail