Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns

Accessibility matters! All-terrain wheelchairs are now available to borrow at Arches Visitor Center to improve visitors' access to enjoy more of the park.

Great news for visitors with mobility challenges! All-terrain wheelchairs are now available to borrow at Arches Visitor Center to improve visitors' access to enjoy more of the park.

The all-terrain wheelchair is non-motorized and requires an assistant/operator to push the chair. They may be borrowed for single-day use at no charge. Learn more about the chair and which trails are approved for its use on the park's website: https://www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/physical-mobility.htm -4

Learn more about the five Utah national parks participating in this program on this news release: https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1072/all-terrain-wheelchairs-utah-5.htm

alt text: park ranger pushes an unoccupied all-terrain wheelchair on a dirt trail

Update: Kansas student Oliver Davis has moved from 4th to 1st place in the quarterfinals for Sports Illustrated Youth Athlete of the Year! He stands to win $25k and will be aired on CBS.🏊📣

Johnson County high schooler up for next Youth Athlete of the Year Oliver Davis is currently ranked in the top three among 10 finalists. Voting for the top five ends at 10 p.m. CT on Thursday. You can vote for Oliver through the Youth Athlete of the Year's website.

Across the state of Kansas, Disability Mentoring Day is celebrated every year in October! Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) is a national program that promotes career development for students and job seekers with disabilities through job shadowing and hands-on career exploration. It is designed to empower students and job seekers with disabilities, promote a diverse workplace, and assist employers with recruiting new talent.

We put all the DMDs information into one place. Check the links below to find which one is closest to you and your family!

- Topeka: https://www.kyea.org/show.php?contentid=236
- Hutchinson Area: https://www.beyondbarriersks.com/dmd
- Salina/Abilene: https://indconnectinc.com/event/disability-mentoring-day-2026/
- Kansas City: https://sites.google.com/view/dmdatkc/home
- Wyandotte: https://independenceinc.org/disability-mentoring-day-2026/
- Dodge City: https://www.arrowheadwest.org/

Topeka: KEY: Shawnee County & Kansas Youth Empowerment Academy (KYEA)
- Hutchinson: Beyond Barriers
- Salina/Abilene: Independence, Inc. & OCCK Inc.
- Dodge: Arrowhead West, Inc.
- Kansas City: Independence, Inc.

Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) started in 1999 as a White House initiative to promote career development for students and job seekers with disabilities. The program began at the White House to increase the profile and impact of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), celebrated every October. DMD national initiatives and events are organized by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), while regional and local events are coordinated by organizations like Centers for Independent Living (CILs) to promote career development for youth and young adults through events like job shadowing, mentor relationships, job skill workshops and hands-on career exploration. Partnerships often include organizations like local community colleges, local government agencies, employers and businesses, services agencies and educational groups.