Ability Kc

“An independent accounting firm prepares and reviews the 990. The 990 is then reviewed by the organization's officers, accounting personnel, and the finance committee. Any questions and concerns the organization's officers and accounting personnel have are addressed and any corrections or clarifications are made. The updated draft 990 is then provided to all the voting members of the board for review. Prior to filing the 990, any concerns/questions from board members are addressed and any additional corrections or clarifications are made.”

“At the time of hire (or election in the case of corporate directors) and annually thereafter, the ceo or his/her designess shall provide to the board and to all executive officers, administrative staff, associates, and volunteers a copy of the conflict of interest policy and the applicable conflict of interest disclosures form and questionnaire, which shall be completed to identify any relationships, positions, or circumstances with respect to which it is believed a conflict may arise. Such annual monitoring and review procedures shall be part of the corporate compliance plan. An appropriate report shall be submitted to the board of directors concerning any interest so disclosed. Each member of the board of directors and all management associates shall disclose fully and frankly any and all actual or potential conflicts or duality of interest or responsibility, whether individual, personal, or business, which may exist or appear at akc or akci, or any matter or business which may come before the board (including its committees). The disclosing individual shall neither vote nor endeavor to influence corporate action in any such matter upon request of the subject board. The affected individual shall leave the boardroom while the matter is discussed and a vote, if any shall be recorded in the minutes of the board or its committee.”

“The ceo's compensation includes a review of comparability data prepared by an independent organization (compensation survey), discussions/review at the executive committee and then the recommendation of the executive committee is made and voted on by the board. There are minutes for the executive committee and the board to substantiate this process. Compensation for all other officers, other than the ceo, is based on a set pay scale for the position. Pay scales are reviewed by an independent organization in the form of a compensation analysis and annually updated based on their review of labor market trends.”

“The organization's governing documents, conflict of interest policy and financial statements are available upon request.”

“Ability kc is driven by the unwavering belief that people with the most complex illnesses, injuries and disabilities should have the support they need to fully participate in their communities. In 2024, we celebrated 77 years as a regional center of excellence and nationally-recognized leader in specialized outpatient medical rehabilitation, education, vocational and innovative, individualized care, helping people of all ages build brighter futures. Our mission at every juncture of life: from a child's kindergarten readiness to an individual returning to high school or work, or to building and achieving a plan of living independently in their home and community. Ability kc is the longest-standing comprehensive outpatient medical rehabilitation facility in kansas city. For more than 50 years, ability kc has upheld the highest standards in rehabilitation and human services, validated by our long-standing commission on accreditation of rehabilitation facilities (carf) accreditation. Carf sets internationally recognized benchmarks for quality and outcomes. In 2024, ability kc again earned its three-year carf accreditation, reflecting our commitment to continuous improvement, accountability, and exceptional care. Through our partnership with carf international, we are recognized as a value-based care leader. Over the past seven decades, ability kc has risen to the challenges of the rapidly changing rehabilitation landscape, providing a unique model of comprehensive care, culture and specialty services. Our programs are designed to foster community independence at every stage, adapting to the evolving needs of each person we serve. Whether preparing for school, returning to work, or rebuilding after injury, we walk alongside every journey. With a continuum of support across all ages and stages, ability kc ensures that progress is always possible and independence is always within reach. At ability kc, we embody the power of possibility every day. Imagine a place where care isn't fragmented, where individuals of all ages and medical complexities receive comprehensive quality of life support. That vision drives our work, and it's what we deliver every day. By integrating intensive services and care teams, we deliver better outcomes, reduce challenges, and save time and money for our communities. Imagine the relief of not having to travel across cities for care. Imagine the power of continuity, expertise, connection, and compassion. From the very first conversation, each individual is at the heart of our experience. For those we serve, their families and caregivers, and our dedicated team, this purpose drives everything we do. We are experts, educators, navigators, problem solvers, and connectors, because it takes a community to deliver this unique model of care. Imagine therapies that go beyond what insurance typically covers, made possible by our community partners and generosity. Our specialized programs are led by passionate professionals who are shaping best practices and leading innovation. In 2024, we served over 3,200 individuals spanning across all ages, health complexities, and conditions. Our model consistently decreases rehospitalization, ensures continuity with physicians and specialists, supports school readiness from kindergarten to college, and helps individuals return to work or find new employment. Imagine the difference that makes, not just for one person, but for entire families and communities. Without ability kc, many would face immense barriers. Individuals and their families would have to travel to multiple places and often a different city to get the therapies and support they need, resulting in additional expenses, inefficiencies, and disparate care. With ability kc, they imagine and achieve independence, education, employment, and a better quality of life. Our intensive and complex outpatient medical rehabilitation is individual-centered, with therapy designed to meet each patient's unique needs and to maximiz”

“Ability kc is built on a strong founding legacy that continues to inspire the work done each day for the children we serve. In 1947, mary shaw branton, jeanette luhnow and jane dick founded the therapeutic preschool for children with special needs. Now, 77 years later, we continue to help children achieve their goals and reach key milestones through the great work of our teachers and therapists at ability kc's mary shaw branton therapeutic preschool. Nationally accredited by the national association for the education of young children (naeyc), and state licensed, our early education therapeutic preschool classrooms offer a caring, inclusive environment that provide children ages 1 to 5 years old with a wide range of educational, medical, and therapeutic services. By delivering therapeutic services within an age-appropriate and natural educational environment, our highly experienced team can help young children of all abilities maximize their potential through early intervention. Ability kc's inclusive classrooms pair children living with disabilities together with typically developing peers. The goal of every team member is to help each child become more independent and successful in their important life transitions. To do this, specialized professionals, including the child's family or caregiver, develop a customized plan that emphasizes building the child's strengths. Our program offers children one-on-one or group therapy, aquatic therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapies along with the use of adaptive computer and communication technology and sensory equipment. Our teachers and therapists are specially trained to address a wide variety of educational, medical, and therapeutic diagnoses. Families are encouraged to get involved early and to partner with us in preparing their child for the journey ahead as we address each child's individual developmental needs, while celebrating what makes them unique. Our teachers utilize a variety of research-based approaches when working with each child. Our classroom structure follows the creative curriculum. This curriculum is closely aligned with the missouri early learning standards to ensure that children who transition from our program to the public school system are ready to meet the challenges of school aged curriculum. From a social-emotional-behavioral perspective, we implement the conscious discipline approach, a social-emotional curriculum that promotes developmentally appropriate practices for children of all abilities. All our practices are trauma informed and the children benefit greatly from these varied approaches, ensuring a rich learning environment for every child. During the 2024-2025 school year, we served 235 children, 75% of which are living with a developmental disability. A total of 83% children served in the therapeutic preschool made progress toward missouri early learning standards.”

“Ability kc provides a unique range of vocational services and programs to help individuals experiencing a disability or recovering from a complex illness or injury realize their employment and independence goals. From job training and placement to use of assistive technology for critical work tasks, through driving services and more, we collaborate with each patient and our community partners to help individuals with disabilities thrive in the community and in the workplace. The employment services program at ability kc helps individuals with disabilities find and maintain meaningful employment. We offer career exploration, vocational assessments, job development, and retention support, with services tailored to each person's needs. Our community-based approach includes hands-on work experiences, interest testing, and partnerships with local businesses and missouri vocational rehabilitation. We also integrate medical specialties like ot and speech therapy to provide a well-rounded support system, ensuring long-term success for individuals in the workforce. For those who have had a traumatic brain injury (tbi), ability kc offers specialized employment services delivered by a specially trained team of experts in the areas of brain injury, neuroscience, assistive technology, and more, to meet the specific needs of individuals seeking employment after a tbi. Our passion and goal are to ensure the employee has a successful transition into the work environment. Ability kc's return-to-work navigator program helps individuals with disabilities break barriers faced on the path to employment by significantly accelerating and simplifying the process of transitioning back to work after experiencing a complex medical diagnosis. The return-to-work navigator program has helped reduce the timeline for these individuals from 2-4 months after discharge from medical rehab to 1-2 weeks, helping them get back to contributing within their community faster. Working collaboratively alongside our clinical, non-clinical, and employment services staff, and with partners at missouri and kansas vocational rehab offices, and local employers, the return-to-work program supports a seamless, efficient transition between medical care and the community independence services these individuals need to achieve their employment goals. The purposeful team design includes rehabilitation therapists and specialists, case managers, social workers, and program managers. The program has helped almost 400 individuals in the past several years navigate a return to employment, access community resources for financial assistance if their medical status does not allow for a safe return to work, regain driving skills, and participate in community activities in their daily lives. Ability kc's return-to-work program fills a longstanding gap in the rehab-to-community independence service continuum and exemplifies best practices in return-to-work design, incorporating four out of the five key program components as defined by the dol, bringing positive change and outcomes to the community. The program is also helping area employers, recognizing that many employers are not fully equipped to provide the right set of accommodations and related policies to meet the needs of their employees who are returning to work from a rehabilitative experience. Ability kc also offers a summer work experience program in conjunction with the missouri division of vocational rehabilitation to support a paid work experience and training for high-school age youth. The six-week initiative provides a paid, competitive, and integrated employment opportunity for students entering their junior and senior years of high school. Participating students work 20 hours per week to develop a range of job skills as well as soft skills, such as effective communication, teamwork, problem solving and critical thinking. Ability kc currently works with over 30 school districts to provide these services to local students. Si”

“Contributions to restricted assets 1,126,652. Temporarily restricted net assets released from restriction -1,836,264. Net assets released from restriction used for purchase of property 986,380.”

“The organization didn't change its oversight or selection process during the tax year.”