Build your Kansas policy manual

What is your business?

The governing body has bylaws or an operating agreement, renewed every year (K.A.R. 28-51-103(a)(1)). A corporation or LLC registers with the Kansas Secretary of State.

How many separate clients do you expect to serve in your first year?

This sets KDHE's fee: $250 to apply and $100 a year to renew under 100 clients, or $500 and $350 for 100 or more (K.A.R. 28-51-101). A client served on several occasions counts once. These are KDHE's fees, not CareRulebook prices.

Will you have branch offices?

The application lists branch offices, and the attestation says none may be more than 200 miles from the parent office.

Who will you serve?

Children bring child abuse reporting to DCF (K.S.A. 38-2223). Caregivers are not on that statute's mandatory list, so the manual makes reporting agency policy.

Will you serve clients who live in assisted living or another adult care home?

For residents of adult care homes, suspected abuse is reported to KDADS under K.S.A. 39-1402, not to DCF under K.S.A. 39-1431.

Will caregivers help clients with medication reminders?

Caregivers may only ask, prompt, hand over and open reminder containers that the client, family, a nurse or a pharmacist has filled. They never set up or give medication (K.A.R. 28-51-117(g)(1); -104(c)(3)(H)). KDHE asks for a medication policy either way.

Will caregivers assist with transfers using a mechanical lift?

Allowed only for caregivers with training and demonstrated competency (K.A.R. 28-51-117(g)(14)). KDHE's drafted rewrite would remove this task; in April 2026 KDHE said it was reviewing that change.

Will caregivers set oxygen flow when changing a client's oxygen tank?

Caregivers may always remove and replace a cannula or mask to wash or shave the client's face. Setting oxygen flow needs specific training and demonstrated competency (K.A.R. 28-51-117(g)(16)). Respiratory care is never allowed.

Will all your caregivers be your employees?

The statute defines a supportive care worker as an employee (K.S.A. 65-5101(l)). Contractors need a written contract with seven provisions (K.A.R. 28-51-103(f)), and staffing agency workers need KDADS checks too. KDHE asks every applicant for a contract personnel policy either way.

Who trains your caregivers?

Training covers the 10 competency areas, the plan of care, abuse recognition at hire and every year, and the services and equipment you use (K.A.R. 28-51-103(g)(1), -104(c)(3)(D), -117(c)-(d)).

How will you keep client and personnel records?

Client records are kept in retrievable form for at least five years after the last discharge, and produced to a surveyor within 30 minutes of a request (K.A.R. 28-51-110(d), -101(i)).

Include recommended practices?

Some policies end with steps that go beyond Kansas's current rules, such as an emergency preparedness plan, an incident log with an investigation using KDHE's HHA Reporting Form, and items from KDHE's drafted rewrite (a care capacity statement, background re-checks every 2 years), each labeled as not yet a rule. Once adopted they are your policies and KDHE can expect you to follow them, so leave them out if you won't.