Who do I call first for disability services in Douglas County, Kansas?

Start with early intervention (children under 3), your school district's special education office (ages 3–21), and Kansas vocational rehabilitation for employment. This guide points to the right front door for Douglas County.

Is help available in Spanish in Douglas County?

Yes. This Douglas County guide includes Spanish-language support, and most Kansas agencies provide interpretation on request.

What should I do in a disability-related crisis in Douglas County?

For an immediate emergency call 911. For mental health crisis support call or text 988 (the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), available 24/7. This page also lists local crisis resources where available.

Disability Services in Douglas County, Kansas

A free, plain-language guide to disability services in Douglas County, Kansas. Find who to call first for early intervention, special education, Medicaid waivers, transition planning, employment supports, and crisis help — with Spanish-language support. Always call to confirm details, which can change.

Services covered in Douglas County

Early intervention (under 3) and special education / IEPs (ages 3–21)
Medicaid waivers and home- and community-based services
Vocational rehabilitation and supported employment
Transition planning, guardianship, and benefits
Crisis support — 911 for emergencies, 988 for mental health crisis

Key contacts in Douglas County

Douglas County, Cottonwood, Inc. CDDO (your front door) — Your front door and single point of entry for developmental-disability services in Douglas County is the Cottonwood, Inc. Contact: 785-842-0550 (Cottonwood, Inc. CDDO) · find your CDDO at cwcddo.org/index.php/kscddo.
Independence, Inc. — Douglas County's Center for Independent Living (Lawrence): independent-living skills, peer support, benefits and housing advocacy, transportation, and youth tr… Contact: 785-841-0333 · independenceinc.org.
Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging — The Area Agency on Aging for Douglas, Shawnee, and Jefferson counties: information and assistance, benefits and caregiver support, in-home services, and connec… Contact: 785-235-1367 · jhawkaaa.org.
NAMI Douglas County KS — Local NAMI affiliate serving Douglas County (Lawrence): free mental-health education, family and peer support groups, and navigation. Contact: 785-840-5889 · nami.org/find-your-local-nami/kansas/nami-douglas-county-ks.
Kansas CDDOs, single point of entry — Kansas's front door for developmental-disability services. Contact: cwcddo.org/index.php/kscddo · kdads.ks.gov.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Free, confidential crisis support 24/7 for mental health and substance use crises. Contact: 988.
tiny-k Early Intervention (Infant-Toddler) — Statewide early-intervention program for babies and toddlers (birth–3) with delays or disabilities: free evaluation and services through a local tiny-k network. Contact: 1-800-332-6262 · ksits.org.
Kansas Rehabilitation Services (KRS) — Helps people with disabilities prepare for, get, and keep a job: counseling, training, assistive technology, job placement, and student transition services. Contact: 866-213-9079 · dcf.ks.gov/services/RS.
Disability Rights Center of Kansas (DRC) — Kansas's federally designated protection and advocacy agency. Contact: 1-877-776-1541 · drckansas.org.
Kansas 2-1-1 — Free, confidential information and referral to local health and human services across Kansas, CDDOs, tiny-k, KanCare, aging services, and more. Contact: Dial 2-1-1 · kansas211.org.

These listings are a navigation aid, not endorsements — always call first to confirm current details. The full interactive Douglas County directory on this page lists 10 local and statewide resources with filters by category, age, and payer, plus registry-listed providers nearby.

See more Kansas disability resources or browse other counties from the Kansas portal.