Dear Editor,
On Feb 4, 2014, the Topeka Capitol Journal estimated 13 inches of snow fell on Topeka, closing state and legislative offices. Many businesses were closed due to treacherous conditions.
Not all Kansas employees, however, stayed home.
At the Kansas Neurological Institute, most workers came to work anyway, braving difficult conditions, covering shifts for other staff who could not make it in, and happily assisting fellow employees with jump-starting vehicles or whatever needed to be done.
When we consider the direct-support staff wage at KNI – $12.00 an hour – the daily care and support required of individuals with profound, complex medical and behavioral challenges, it is inspiring to reflect on the dedication of those who serve some of our most vulnerable citizens in this great State of Kansas.
Sincerely,
Joan Kelley
Vice-President, KNI Parent Guardian Group
Member, Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities
Gardner
Shawn Sullivan
Secretary
Kansas Department for Aging and Disablity Services
Topeka