PEAK: Quality Improvement through Person-Centered Care

Mission Statement: To be engaged resource partners with people who live and work in Kansas nursing homes in their pursuit of person-centered care.

PEAK (Promoting Excellent Alternatives in Kansas) started in 2002 as a recognition and education program to encourage providers in Kansas to adopt culture change. Kansas State University’s Center on Aging has a long history with PEAK. The center was responsible for the development of the Culture Change Modules, which are now archived and can be found under the resources menu item.

In 2011, PEAK was revised and became PEAK 2.0, which was officially launched in 2012. Building on the successful history of PEAK, the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) is moving in expanding directions. PEAK 2.0 replaces the phrase "culture change" with "person-centered care." The latter best describes the kind of practices KDADS wants to encourage. Additionally, PEAK 2.0 became a Medicaid pay-for-performance incentive program. Homes that engage in system changes to support person-centered care or who have demonstrated implementation of person-centered care receive financial incentives through Medicaid reimbursement. The program focuses on five domains essential to person-centered care: The Foundation, Resident Choice, Staff Empowerment, Home Environment, and Meaningful Life.

Program revisions occurred in 2022 with a revised incentive struture and the program is now called PEAK: Quality Improvement through Person-Centered Care.

KDADS contracted with Kansas State University to administer the program in 2012. KDADS continues to oversee the program and apply the incentive to Medicaid reimbursement, but Kansas State University handles administrative functions of the program, such as application, training, and evaluation of participants. In addition, the Center on Aging strives to be a support to homes as they navigate the program.

The program is open to all long-term care providers in the state of Kansas.