Johnson County’s Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas program now is technically operating as a subgrantee as part of the East Central Kansas Area Agency on Aging in Ottawa.

A transition began last year to officially have local SHICK services provided at Johnson County’s Area Agency on Aging at the Department of Aging and Human Services in 2025.

“We have a lot of people aging into Medicare in the near future,” said Rachel Winter, SHICK program coordinator at the Johnson County Department of Aging and Human Services and the local Area Agency on Aging.

According to Medicare, 10,000 people reach age 65 daily in the nation. The U.S. Census Bureau currently estimates 100,500 residents are 65 or older in Johnson County.

The local SHICK program can use more volunteers at all levels of assistance.

Applicants can start the process at the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. Applicants must undergo a brief interview and a background check, mainly to ensure no ties to the private insurance industry.

SHICK certification requires volunteers to receive training on Medicare, Medicare prescription drug insurance, Medicare supplemental insurance, long-term care insurance and other health insurance subjects that are concerns of Kansans.

Fully certified counselors receive about 30 hours of online pre-training on the national Medicare websites and two-day KDADS training either in-person or virtually. To maintain their certification, they annually have a one-day training.

The program also relies on administrative volunteers to help with office duties, including scheduling appointments or helping counselors with data entry. They receive an online class about privacy.

More information of Johnson County SHICK services or volunteering is available by contacting the Johnson County Department of Aging and Human Services at 913-715-8856 or the Johnson County K-State Research and Extension Office at 913-715-7000.

A podcast of the Johnson County SHICK services is available at jocogov.org/shickpodcast.

Applications to become a certified counselor are available online at KDADS (ks.gov).

Medicare’s website is medicare.gov.

As a grant-funded program, the following disclaimer that’s SHICK-related is required:

This project was supported, in part, by grant numbers 2201KSMISH and 90SAPG0093-04 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy. Johnson County SHICK is a sub-grantee of East Central Kansas Area Agency on Aging in Ottawa. 785-242-7200.