Kansas State Policies & Resources
Policies:
Kansas Department for Children and Families / Rehabilitation Services
Policy Summary on Self-Employment:
The Kansas policy requires clients requesting self-employment to undergo an assessment of their business potential. Assessments may consist of vocational and psychological testing and informal assessments that involve observing the client’s planning and marketing skills, as well as their enthusiasm for entrepreneurship. The client must also develop a business idea and investigate its market viability. During this process, they must obtain education or training related to their business idea and/or business management in general; seminars, training courses, and work done at a similar business are all viable options.
After developing their business idea, the client must create a business plan that includes a description of the business, marketing and inventory analyses, marketing and financial plans, and an evaluation of any legal issues or market risks the business may face. The client must also investigate outside financial resources, and, if they cannot finance the business themselves, seek funding from external sources (venture capital, banks, the Small Business Administration). They should note the time spent researching funding sources in the business plan.
Agency officials will review the plan to ensure that the business’s anticipated income will contribute to the client’s self-sufficiency. Individuals qualified to evaluate business income will continue to review the business’s profit and loss statements until the case is closed. Case closure is contingent on the client reaching and maintaining a stability point over a 90-day period of employment. Stability must be defined in the client’s Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE); it may involve reaching a certain step in the business plan, attaining a certain income level, or lowering the chances that VR services will be required in the future.
Kansas Policy Manual:
http://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/RS/Pages/RSpolicies.aspx
Resources:
The following downloadable PDF contains statewide self-employment resources and links for people with disabilities.
Kansas State-Specific Self-Employment Resources (PDF)