Senior benefits in Butler County, Kansas

The Central Plains Area Agency on Aging in Wichita serves Butler, Harvey and Sedgwick counties, including Butler County. It is also the area's Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), a trusted place where older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers of any income can get help planning for long-term care. The ADRC can refer you to in-home, community-based and nursing home services, and its Options Counseling helps you decide what fits. The office is at 271 W. 3rd St. North, Suite 500, Wichita. Call the Area Agency on Aging at 316-660-5120 (toll free 800-367-7298).

Estimated service value: $200–$2,000 a year

Kansas DCF (the Department for Children and Families) has a service center in Butler County, in El Dorado at 410 N. Haverhill Road, El Dorado, KS 67042. Phone: 316-321-4200. DCF runs Food Assistance (SNAP), cash assistance and the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP). LIEAP pays part of winter home heating costs once a year for households with gross income at or below 150% of the federal poverty level. You can apply online through the DCF Self-Service Portal, or call DCF Benefits Assistance at 1-888-369-4777 for food, cash and child care assistance. LIEAP is open only during its winter application period; during that time you can apply online or ask your local DCF Service Center for a paper application.

Estimated bill savings: about $0 a year

Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital in El Dorado encourages patients and their families to apply for financial assistance if they think they may be eligible for care without charge. Get an Application Packet from the hospital's website or at registration points in the hospital. To get an application by mail, call your patient account representative: 316-321-8744 if your last name starts with A through K, or 316-321-8765 for L through Z. The financial assistance policy is also available in Spanish.

Estimated bill savings: about $0 a year

The Butler County Transit Program, run by the Butler County Department on Aging, is general public transportation open to anyone of any age, with curb-to-curb rides Monday to Friday. Vehicles run routes in Augusta and El Dorado (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.), take reservations in Andover (8:30 a.m. to noon), and go into Wichita every Wednesday and Thursday. All vehicles are handicapped accessible. Fares are $0.50 per stop inside city limits, $2 each way between towns in Butler County, and $4 each way into Wichita. Call 24 hours ahead to schedule at 316-775-0500 (toll free 800-279-3655).

Estimated service value: $150–$1,500 a year