Filing for Disability in Kansas

In Kansas DDS, over half of all disability applications are awarded Social Security or SSI disability benefits after the initial application.

If you live in Kansas and become unable to work, you can apply for Social Security disability insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits. Although the application process is the same in each state, the percentage of benefits approved and the additional payments provided by the State of Kansas differ from other states.

How Are Disability Decisions Made in Kansas?

In Kansas, the decision regarding your medical eligibility for Social Security disability benefits is made by a state agency called Disability Determination Services (DDS). DDS receives your application from the local Social Security office after it is preliminarily approved based on your technical qualifications (such as income level or work history).

At DDS in Kansas, a disability claims examiner will review your file, along with a medical consultant who works for DDS. They will make a decision within three to five months of receiving your application.

What Are My Chances of Getting Disability in Kansas?

At the Kansas DDS, you have a better-than-national-average chance of being awarded Social Security or SSI disability benefits after your initial application or reconsideration review (61% and 16%, respectively).

If you're denied benefits after reconsideration, you'll have to request an appeal hearing if you want to continue seeking benefits. In Kansas, you will have to wait 10 months, on average, for a hearing.

Applicants may have a harder time getting benefits in Kansas than in other states. Judges approve only 40% of appeals in Kansas. Your chances are a bit higher in Wichita (44%), but in Topeka, judges only award benefits 33% of the time. Below is a chart that compares the approval rates in Kansas to the rates nationally.

Stage of Process

Kansas

Nationally

Initial Application Approval Rate

61% approval

36% approval

Reconsideration Approval Rate

16% approval

13% approval

Appeal Hearing Approval Rate

40% approval

51% approval

Average Hearing Wait Time

10 months

10 months

Does Kansas Pay Any Additional State Payments?

The State of Kansas pays a small additional monthly payment, known as a state supplement, to SSI recipients who live in Medicaid facilities.

The SSI supplement in Kansas is paid under the State Supplemental Payment Program (SSPP), which is administered by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Division of Healthcare Finance. The SSPP program is located at 900 SW Jackson, Suite 900N, Topeka, Kansas 66612, and can be reached by telephone at (785) 296-3981.

Here is how much you can expect to receive per month as a personal needs allowance if you live in a Medicaid facility.

Combined State and Federal Monthly Supplement

Individual

$62

Couple

$124

What Vocational Rehabilitation Services Are Available in Kansas?

Due to disability, some individuals may want to return to work but struggle to find a job they are able to do or to keep a job once they get it. There are services available that can help disabled individuals who are trying to find and keep jobs.

In Kansas, services are provided to disabled folks through Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), of the Department of Children and Families. People who are receiving Social Security disability benefits are presumed to be disabled, meaning you do not have to prove to VR that you are disabled in order to receive services. To apply, visit the VR website.

Where Is Kansas' DDS Office?

Disability Determination Services (DDS), the office that decides if you are disabled based on your medical records, is located in Topeka. DDS will receive your application from your local Social Security office after it is approved as meeting all technical requirements. If your application is denied and you request a reconsideration, DDS will handle that first level of appeal.

Below is the contact information for the DDS office in Kansas.

DDS Office

2820 SW Fairlawn Rd, Suite 100
Topeka, KS 66614-2367
Telephone: (785) 267-4440

Where Are the Social Security Hearing Offices in Kansas?

If you are denied after the reconsideration and you request a hearing, your case will go to the Office of Hearings Operations (OHO), the office that handles all appeals. OHO has several offices in Kansas (see below).

When contacting Social Security regarding your Social Security disability application status, you should contact the office that is handling your application at that time, either DDS or OHO.

Below is the contact information for local OHO offices in Kansas.

Hearing Offices

Topeka Office

3712 SW Burlingame, Suite A
Topeka, Kansas 66609
Telephone: (888) 436-2615
Services the following field offices: Emporia, Johnson County, Kansas City (KCK), Lawrence, Manhattan, and Topeka

Wichita Office

3207 N. Cypress Street
Wichita, Kansas 67226
Telephone: (866) 964-3421
Services the following field offices: Dodge City, Hays, Hutchinson, Independence, Salina, and Wichita

How Can I Find a Disability Lawyer in Kansas?

If you've been denied disability benefits by Kansas DDS, you may want to hire a lawyer to help you appeal the decision (here's how a lawyer helps you win an appeal). You can visit our Kansas disability lawyer page to find a good disability attorney in your area.

Updated May 20, 2022

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