Kansas Guardianship Resources: Organizations That Help

Kansas has several organizations that provide free guardianship information, advocacy, and legal support. Each serves a different purpose, and knowing which one to contact saves you from cycling through the wrong offices during an already stressful process.

Disability Rights Center of Kansas (DRC)

The DRC is Kansas's designated Protection and Advocacy organization — a federally mandated watchdog that protects the legal rights of people with disabilities. For guardianship, the DRC offers:

• Plain-language guides to the 2026 KUGCOPAA guardianship changes, including the new substituted judgment standard and mandatory Guardianship Plans
• Advocacy tools for individuals who want to contest an existing guardianship, seek modification, or file a grievance against a guardian
• Information about alternatives — particularly supported decision-making agreements under SB 84
• Direct advocacy in cases involving abuse, neglect, or rights violations by a guardian

The DRC does not represent petitioners seeking to establish guardianship. Their mission is protecting the rights of the individual subject to guardianship. If you are the person facing a guardianship petition, or you believe a guardian is overstepping, the DRC is your first call.

iDecide Kansas

iDecide is a statewide initiative focused specifically on supported decision-making as an alternative to guardianship. The program provides:

• Self-advocacy training for adults with disabilities who want to understand their legal options
• Peer-to-peer resources connecting families with others who have used SDM agreements successfully
• Educational materials about how supported decision-making works in practice — beyond the legal framework, into the daily reality of using an SDM agreement with doctors, banks, and schools

iDecide is particularly useful for families who are on the fence about guardianship. Their resources help families see what alternatives look like in real life, not just on paper.

Kansas Legal Services (KLS)

KLS provides free civil legal assistance to low-income Kansas residents. For guardianship, they offer:

• Interactive forms that walk self-represented filers through the guardianship petition process
• Legal advice on whether guardianship is appropriate and which form of guardianship to pursue
• In forma pauperis assistance — helping families file Poverty Affidavits to waive the $91.50 filing fee
• Direct representation in guardianship proceedings for qualifying individuals (income-based eligibility)

KLS is the primary resource for families who cannot afford a private attorney but need legal guidance beyond what blank forms provide. They can help you understand the 2026 form updates, draft the mandatory Guardianship Plan, and navigate county-specific filing procedures.

Families Together, Inc.

Families Together is Kansas's Parent Training and Information Center, focused on special education and disability transition. Their guardianship-related services include:

• Transition planning guidance — helping families understand the legal authority changes that happen at age 18
• Workshops on guardianship alternatives — particularly educational representative designations and the connection between IEP transition planning and legal planning
• Peer support networks connecting families of transitioning students with families who have navigated the same choices

Families Together does not provide legal representation, but they are the strongest resource for families whose guardianship questions stem from the 18th-birthday transition and IEP rights transfer.

What These Organizations Cannot Do

Except for direct representation that KLS may provide to qualifying clients, these organizations generally provide information, tools, or advocacy rather than drafting a petition or serving as counsel for a petitioner. DRC may also advocate for people whose rights are at issue. They do not choose the legal arrangement for you; the operational work of filing, completing forms correctly, and building a defensible Guardianship Plan falls on the family unless it retains counsel.

For the step-by-step operational guidance that bridges the gap between free resources and a private attorney, the Kansas Adult Guardianship & Alternatives Guide covers the full filing process, plan drafting, and county-specific procedures in detail.

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