Reference
Plain-Language Glossary
The Kansas I/DD system runs on acronyms: KDADS, CDDO, MCO, ISP, T2016, T2021. A plain-language glossary for families, self-advocates, new staff members, and anyone trying to read a regulatory document for the first time.
Why a glossary exists at all
The HCBS system is dense with terminology that has real legal and operational meaning, but is rarely defined in any document a family or self-advocate would naturally encounter. A KDADS letter assumes you know what a CDDO is. An MCO authorization assumes you can read a procedure code. An ISP review assumes you understand the difference between a BSP and the rest of the support plan. None of those things are explained anywhere in the documents themselves.
This page exists to bridge that gap. The definitions here are written for accessibility, not legal precision. For technical or regulatory definitions, the source documents at kdads.ks.gov and medicaid.gov are authoritative.
How services are delivered
These four acronyms describe the funding and administrative spine of HCBS in Kansas: the framework, the local entry point, the health-plan layer, and the people who do the work.
Planning and clinical roles
These describe the documents and roles that organize an individual's services: what's authorized, who oversees the plan, and how behavioral support is structured when needed.
Compliance and billing
Reportable categories and the Medicaid procedure codes that determine what providers can bill. The regulatory plumbing behind the daily work.
The same terms in context
These terms travel together in real conversations. Most long-term disability supports in Kansas are funded through HCBS, a federal framework that keeps people living in their communities rather than institutional settings. Access typically begins through your local CDDO, which helps families understand eligibility and navigate the system. Once enrolled, an MCO manages the health-plan side: authorizations, covered services, and billing coordination.
Every person served has an ISP, a living document that outlines goals, required supports, and identified risks. When behavioral support is needed, a BSP lays out specific strategies for the team. A QIDP is often responsible for reviewing and coordinating these plans. Day-to-day, a DSP provides the direct support that makes community living possible.
Kansas providers are required to report any ANEconcerns immediately. This is a non-negotiable compliance obligation. On the billing side, services are tracked by Medicaid procedure codes: T2016 covers Community Support and T2021 covers Residential Support.
What this glossary doesn't cover
This is a focused starter glossary, not an exhaustive reference. We've scoped it to the terms that come up most often in conversations with families and self-advocates navigating the Kansas I/DD system for the first time. Terminology around guardianship, Special Needs Trusts, ABLE accounts, specific clinical approaches, and the broader federal Medicaid waiver landscape will be added as those resources are developed.
Where to go next
For how all of these terms connect inside the working system, our HCBS 101 guide is the starting point. For what your rights are inside that system, see our Rights guide.