Welcome to the Kansas Rehabilitation Association

We are dedicated to improving the quality of life for all persons with disabilities by promoting independent living and community inclusion. As an organization in growth, KRA seeks to bring rehabilitation professionals together to learn, grow, and to better understand the dynamics of change in a rapidly evolving service environment. Our goal and objectives as consumer advocates are to make possible the dignity and respect all people can know in a free society.

Join KRA Today! By joining the National Rehabilitation Association, Kansas residents automatically become members of the State chapter. See National Rehabilitation Association: Benefits of Membership and National Rehabilitation Association: New Member Registration

Email us at: kra@kansasrehab.org 

KRA FALL TRAINING WORKSHOP
"Reentry, Risk Reduction, and Offender Workforce Development"

November 7, 2006 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Holiday Inn Holidome Topeka, KS

DOWNLOAD PROGRAM REGISTRATION HERE
 

Message from the President
Wendy Parent, KRA President 2006

Hi everyone,
It is hard to believe we are already almost halfway through this year. I am honored to be the President of the Kansas Rehabilitation Association for 2006 and to be associated with such a great group of people. I have been involved with the National Rehabilitation Association and the state chapters in Virginia, Georgia, Montana, and now Kansas for more than 20 years and have always been extremely impressed with the organization. My affiliations have offered me tremendous resources and valuable opportunities to learn about the disability field and rehabilitation counseling as well as to develop some very special relationships.

It is my mission as president to build on the accomplishments of our previous talented leaders, including Martha Gabehart and Michael Epp, whom I have been privileged to work with since my move to Kansas and involvement in KRA. The following goals for 2006 are aimed at achieving this objective.

• To enhance the visibility of KRA.

KRA has the potential of assuming a powerful leadership role in the state as the recognized leader in the field of rehabilitation and influential source for the profession.

• To increase active membership in KRA.

KRA has the potential for substantial growth and development building on our current membership of 61and dedicated group of active participants.

• To promote student involvement.

KRA has the potential for impacting the next generation of rehabilitation professionals establishing a forum for sharing our knowledge, experiences, enthusiasm, and resources.

• To be responsive to the needs of rehabilitation professionals.

KRA has the potential for addressing issues affecting rehabilitation professionals through promotion of its networking, professional development, communication, and legislative activities.

We want to hear from you. KRA conducted a survey in 2004 and identified what members and potential members were interested in. Some of you have shared your ideas and suggestions with me and other members of the Board. Your comments are very helpful in assisting us with determining our goals and activities for the year. Most importantly, we need you to help us accomplish all of the things we would like to do. If you aren’t a member, please consider joining KRA. If you are a member, please decide to become more active in our state chapter. Your involvement is critical in order to revitalize and energize KRA. Let’s join together and make KRA what we want and know it can be…a vibrant, productive, useful, and outstanding organization. Thank you for all you have done to make KRA what it is today.

Sincerely,
Wendy Parent


National Rehabilitation Association Board Update
The newly formed Counselor division is in place. Membership is on the rise, we now have over 7000 members! There are new membership brochures and NRA is looking carefully at NRA membership benefits.

The 2006 NRA Annual Conference is Orlando FL Nov 9-12. There will be conference room rates 3 days pre and post (~$135.00 a night). They will have buses to Disney and discounted theme park tickets. The 2007 Annual conference is Sept 6-9 in Tucson Arizona.

Great Plains Regional Update - Sara Sundeen, Regional Representative
We had a regional representative meeting on March 11th. We discussed restructuring the regions and moving to five regions. We did not come to a decision since the Pacific and Mid Atlantic just got up and running again. In the meantime, we decided we need to have more presence so we are taking turns submitting regional updates to comp rehab.

The Great Plains group met on March 12th. We discussed raising money for the GP region. According to Sherry Hendrickson - GP treasurer we had $8.88 in our account as of Jan 1, 2006.

We will be partnering with Iowa and they will be the host of the Regional Conference. It is set for September 27-29, 2006 at the Best Western in Marshalltown, Iowa. We hope you can join us. We will also have a GP raffle basket at the conference.

Membership update as of December 2005:
Minnesota has 204 members. President Walter Waranka.
Missouri has 132 members. President - Kelly Cook
Iowa has 119 members. President Lois Staff.
Kansas has 61 members. President - Wendy Parent
Colorado has 56 members. President - Sandra Dietrich
North Dakota has 13 members.
Nebraska has 13 members.
South Dakota has 11 members
Montana has 11 members
Wyoming has 11 members
Utah has left the Great Plains and transferred to the Pacific Region.

I am very interested in trying to get out to all your states in the next three years. I would love to be included in requests for speaking at conferences and information on trainings and/or meetings I could possible attend. Thanks for your time and support. Do not hesitate to contact me with ideas, questions or concerns. Sara Sundeen, MS, CRC (763) 520-0509 or sara.sundeen@courage.org




See the Calendar or KRA Minutes page for meeting dates and locations.