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KAMP   (a new statewide program)
Kansas Accessibility Modifications Program

The Kansas Department of Commerce and Housing (KDCH) announced on May 30th that the Kansas Accessibility Modifications Program (KAMP) is scheduled to begin on July 3, 2000. Warren Jones is the KDCH staff person in charge of this new program that will assist people with disabilities of low income pay for needed accessibility modifications in their homes. Eligible people with disabilities are those with incomes at or below 80% of medium income.

Examples of accessibility modifications are:

• Building entrance ramps.
• Widening doorways and installing a new door and trim.
• Installing visual signals, flashing lights, for the doorbell and smoke detector.
• Installing short threshold ramps for raised thresholds at the front or back entrance.
• Installing grab bars in the bathroom.
• Installing lever handles on doors or faucets.

The amount of grant assistance through KAMP will be up to $5,000 for homeowners and $2,500 for renters. Jobs costing $500 or less will be expedited. The new KAMP will assist people with disabilities throughout Kansas that do not have other funding resources to make needed accessibility modifications in their housing.

KDCH will be providing a training in late June for Centers for Independent Living (CIL), Assistive Technology for Kansas Access Sites (ATK), and Department of Aging (DOA) staff who are interested in assisting Commerce and Housing with this program. Kansas Department of Commerce and Housing would like to involve staff of the agencies listed above to:

(1) provide consumers with assistance finding qualified remodelers who
can perform the needed modifications;
(2) sign off on the application verifying the person has a disability; and
(3) provide technical assistance on accessibility to the person with a disability and
the remodeler, as needed.

A Kansas Accessibility Modifications Program application must be completed and approved before accessibility modifications can be paid for through KAMP.

For more information, please contact:
Colleen Fry, Coordinator of Northeast Assistive Technology Project,
1-800-526-3468
Kelly Nightengale, Housing Specialist, Independence, Inc. 1-888-824-7277
Bob Mikesic, Advocacy Coordinator, Independence, Inc. 785-841-1046 (TTY)