How to Get Disability Benefits in Kansas

If you live in Kansas and have a medically determinable impairment that keeps you from working full-time, you may want to consider applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). You wouldn't be alone—recent data shows that about 85,228 Kansans between the ages of 18 and 64 receive disability benefits, or 4.9% of the state population.

Because SSDI and SSI are federal benefits, the steps you'll take in order to file are the same no matter what state you live in. However, each state has its own agency that helps process disability claims at the initial review levels, and the percentage of claims that are approved vary from state to state. Once you know what to expect when you file for benefits in Kansas, you'll be in a good position to increase your chances of success if you need to appeal.

How to File for Disability in Kansas

Filing for Social Security benefits is a fairly straightforward process. There are multiple ways you can submit your claim:

• Use the application tool provided on Social Security's secure website. Before you start, you may first want to read our article with tips for applying online.
• Call Social Security's national number at 800-772-1213 from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, to speak with a representative. If you're deaf or hard of hearing, you can use the TTY number at 800-325-0778.
• File in person at one of the 11 Social Security field offices in Kansas. Offices are typically open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., but you may need to make an appointment.

For more comprehensive details, including what personal information you should have on hand when you apply, check out our article on filing a disability claim with Social Security.

Which Disability Program Should I Apply For?

SSDI and SSI—also referred to as Title II and Title XVI—are the two types of disability benefits provided by Social Security. Although the agency's definition of disability is the same for both programs, each benefit has its own preliminary eligibility criteria ("technical qualifications") that you must satisfy in order to legally receive payment.

For SSDI, this means having enough work credits to be insured under the program on the date you became disabled. (Work credits are earned by paying into the program through payroll or self-employment taxes.) SSI, on the other hand, is a needs-based benefit available to people with limited income and resources, regardless of work history. You can file for both programs and let Social Security figure out which ones you qualify for, but you must be financially eligible to receive at least one of the two benefits.

How Does Kansas Make Disability Decisions?

In Kansas, the decision regarding your medical eligibility for Social Security disability benefits is made by an agency called Disability Determination Services (DDS), part of the state Department for Children and Families. DDS receives your application from your local Social Security office after the office finds that you meet the technical qualifications for SSDI or SSI. You can find the contact information for DDS below:

Disability Determination Services
2820 SW Fairlawn Road, Suite 100
Topeka, KS 66614
Phone: (785) 267-4440

When your file arrives at DDS, a claims examiner—along with a medical consultant—will review your case and make a decision about whether you're disabled. Over the past five years, the average time it takes for examiners at Kansas DDS to make an initial disability determination is 170.5 days, or a little over five and a half months. (Source: Staffing, Productivity, and Processing Times at State Disability Determination Services, July 2025)

What Are My Chances of Getting Disability in Kansas?

At the Kansas DDS, you have a better chance of being awarded disability benefits on your first try compared with the national average. Almost 45% of applications in Kansas were awarded at the initial level, greater than the nationwide 38.3% initial allowance rate. This trend continues at the reconsideration stage, with 17.2% of claims approved after they've appealed an initial denial, higher than the 15.9% national average.

If you're one of the remaining 37.8% of Kansans who aren't approved following reconsideration at DDS, you'll have to request a disability hearing if you want to continue seeking benefits. For the fiscal year ending July 2025, administrative law judges across Kansas issued 1,944 decisions on disability claims. 918 of those decisions resulted in either fully or partially favorable outcomes, resulting in an approval rate of about 47%.

Where Are the Kansas Hearing Office Locations?

Once you request a disability hearing, your claim passes from examiners at the Kansas DDS office to Social Security's Office of Hearings Operations, or "OHO", where your case will be assigned to a judge at one of the branches serving Kansas. (When contacting Social Security regarding your application status, you should contact the office that is handling your application at that time, either DDS or OHO.) You can find contact information for each OHO below.

Topeka OHO
3712 SW Burlingame
Suite A
Topeka, KS 66609

Phone: (888) 436-2615
Fax: (833) 964-2263

The Topeka OHO hears cases from the following field offices: Emporia, Johnson County, Kansas City, Lawrence, Manhattan, and Topeka.

Wichita OHO
3207 N. Cypress Street
Wichita, KS 67226

Phone: (866) 964-3421
Fax: (833) 748-0027

The Wichita OHO hears cases from the following field offices: Dodge City, Hays, Hutchinson, Independence, Salina, and Wichita.

On average, it takes about six months from the time you request a hearing in Kansas until the date your hearing is held.

How Much Does Kansas Pay in SSDI or SSI?

Because SSDI and SSI are federal benefits, the amount you'll receive doesn't change from state to state. SSDI payments are particularly tailored to each beneficiary since they're calculated based on your individual earnings record, which can vary significantly between each person. The chart below shows the distribution of SSDI payments for beneficiaries in Kansas:

_{Source: Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2023}

SSI benefits are set at the federal benefit rate ($967 per month, in 2025) minus any countable income you have for that month. Kansas also pays a modest monthly state supplement to SSI recipients who live in Medicaid facilities.

What Vocational Rehabilitation Services Does Kansas Offer?

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. On the federal level, Social Security administers several programs, such as Ticket to Work, that can help disabled individuals who are trying to find and keep jobs.

In Kansas, disabled residents can take advantage of the state's vocational rehabilitation program in order to find work. People who are receiving SSDI or SSI benefits are presumed to be disabled, meaning you don't have to prove that you're disabled again in order to qualify for the program. To learn more or to apply, visit Kansas' official employment services website.

How Can I Find a Disability Lawyer in Kansas?

You aren't obligated to hire an attorney at any stage of the disability determination process, but it's generally a good idea, especially if you've been denied benefits by the Kansas DDS and want to appeal the decision. Your chances of winning are much higher if you're represented by an experienced lawyer who can help you strengthen your case and represent you at a hearing.

If you're worried about the cost of hiring a lawyer (as many disability claimants are), it may help to know that disability attorneys typically work on contingency, meaning they don't get paid unless and until you win your claim. Many also offer free consultations, so it doesn't hurt to ask around until you find a lawyer who's a good fit for you.