(July 2005) Kansans Mobilizing for Direct Support Workforce Change has been selected as a finalist for the 2005 Moving Mountains Award. This national award recognizes best practice initiatives designed to improve competence, status, compensation, and stability of direct support staff. KMFC has been successful in introducing systemic solutions to direct support workforce challenges in Kansas. Among the outcomes, is a 15% decrease in staff turnover and increased training opportunities for direct support staff and supervisors.

Case studies on each of the award finalists will be completed in October of 2005. The award will be made in Winter 2006 at the Reinventing Quality conference sponsored by Minnesota's Research and Training Center on Community Living and the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disability Services. The Award is Cosponsored by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals.

Kathleen Olson and Patricia Black Moore, KUCDD staff at Parsons, have provided leadership to community stakeholders on this project with initial funding from the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities.

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