KANSAS DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN
AND FAMILIES
Family Services
DCF Administration Building
555 S. Kansas Ave., 6th Floor
Topeka, KS 66603

To:	Regional Directors Economic and Employment Services Program Administrators Economic and Employment Services Staff Prevention and Protection Services Administrators Other Staff
Re:	Summary of Changes for Kansas Economic and Employment Services Manual (KEESM) Revision No. 94 effective July 01, 2019

OVERVIEW OF CHANGES

A brief overview of the major changes is described below. Other clarifications and technical corrections are also included and described in the next section. Additional technical corrections not mentioned here are being incorporated in KEESM as needed.

Child Care – The minimum work hours requirement for child care is being reduced from 28 hours per week to 20 hours per week. In addition, child care will be provided for Food Assistance GOALS program participants and for all children in foster care when the foster family needs care due to employment or education.

The criteria for approval of child care for a post-secondary education plan are being changed so the program need not be completed in 24 months. However, the 24-month lifetime limit for receiving child care for post-secondary education purposes remains intact. The 24 months do not have to be consecutive.

Food Assistance Employment – The GOALS program is being added to KEESM for Food Assistance.

DESCRIPTION, PURPOSE, AND DETAILS OF POLICY CHANGE

1. All Programs
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      None
      
      
   2. Clarifications
      
      
      1. Unearned Income – Text is being added to KEESM 6200 to indicate that temporary disability insurance and temporary worker's compensation are unearned income.
         
         
      2. Earned Income – Text is being added to KEESM 6300 to indicate that sick pay is considered earned income.
         
         
2. Child Care
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      
      1. Reinstatement of Assistance – KEESM 1423 is being revised to indicate that foster family’s whose child care case has been open within the last 12 months do not need to submit a new application if they need the case to be reopened for a new child in foster care.
         
         
      2. Personal Need – KEESM 2820 is being revised to reflect the change in the minimum work requirement from 28 hours per week to 20 hours per week. The note in this section is also being revised to reflect current policy related to self-employed individuals and 12-month eligibility.
         
         
      3. Income Eligible (Non-TANF) Child Care – KEESM 2835 is being revised to change the minimum work hours requirement from 28 hours per week to 20 hours per week. This section is also being revised to allow child care assistance for any Food Assistance work program participant and all children in foster care when the foster family needs care due to employment or education. This section is also being revised to state that clients requesting child care for post-secondary education purposes do not have to be able to complete their program within 24 months. However, the 24-month lifetime limit remains in place, and those 24 months need not be consecutive.
         
         
      4. Income Producing Cost Deduction – The note at the end of KEESM 7122.1 is being revised to reflect current child care policy for termination of child care if a self-employed individual is not earning the equivalent of the federal minimum wage per hour after six months.
         
         
      5. Proration – KEESM 7401 is being revised to reflect policy for the beginning date of a child care plan for children in foster care.
         
         
      6. The Child Care Plan – KEESM 7600 is being revised to allow for multiple enrollment fees to be paid annually on the same child care case for children in foster care if necessary.
         
         
      7. Determining Scheduled Hours – KEESM 7620 is being revised to include the blocks of time (hours) that are to be approved for child care plans for children in foster care.
         
         
      8. Termination of Child Care Plans – KEESM 7640 is being revised to indicate that a child care plan/case will be ended when a child in foster care leaves that foster care placement.
         
         
      9. Review Periods for Child Care – KEESM 9374 is being revised to indicate that no review is required for child care cases for children in foster care.
         
         
   2. Clarifications
      
      None
      
      
3. Employment Services
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      
      1. Work Requirements – In KEESM 3100, the term Self-Sufficiency is being removed from the heading. Food Assistance Work Requirements are now separated from TANF Work Requirements. TANF requirements are under item (1) and Food Assistance requirements are under item (2). Items under those are being changed to alpha characters.
         
         New KEESM 3100 (2) (b) is being added with information about GOALS employment and training services program. Eligible participants will receive intensive case management. Eligible services are listed. Policy Memo 19-01-01, GOALS; ABAWD E & T Work Program, is being removed as the information provided in that memo is now incorporated into this KEESM section.
         
         Applicants –Food Assistance requirements are being separated from TANF in KEESM 3100.1. An item is being added that indicates Food Assistance applicants and all adult household members who are not exempt from work requirements must register for work and be provided the Food Assistance Work Registration form Appendix E-26. See KEESM 2527 for definition of Work Registrant.
         
         Recipients – Food Assistance requirements are being separated from TANF in KEESM 3100.2 (2). The following text is being added as items (a) and (b).

         Mandatory clients who receive Food Assistance can meet work requirements by participating in the Food Assistance employment and training program.
         
         If a food assistance recipient reports a loss of their work requirement exemption and/or changes to the household circumstances the E-26 Work Registration process must be followed. See KEESM 3220.1 and 2527

         Item (c) is being moved from its previous location.

      2. Food Assistance Employment Service Participation Limitations – In KEESM 3110.2, E&T is being removed from the heading and replaced with Employment Service. E&T is also being removed from the text.
         
         
      3. All Programs Work Related Exemptions (TANF and Food Assistance) – TANF and Food Assistance exemptions are being separated. KEESM 3210 is now for all TANF requirements. Items from KEESM 3220 TANF Only Work Related Exemption are being moved to 3210 (3), with items under that changed to alpha characters.
         
         
      4. Food Assistance Work Related Exemptions – The item currently numbered 3230 is being moved to 3220. The word Additional is being removed from the heading.
         
         
      5. Food Assistance Loss of Exempt Status – KEESM 3230.1 is being changed to 3220.1. Food Assistance is being added to the heading.
         
         
      6. Food Assistance Support Services – The name is being changed in KEESM 3420. Formerly, it was Support Services/Activity Costs/Employment Services Specific to Food Assistance Only Work Program Participation.
         
         Section 3420.1 is being added for Employment Service Participation (E&T Only).
         
         Section 3420.2, Transportation, is being added for Food Assistance ABAWD E & T clients.
         
         
      7. Failure to Meet Work Related Requirements – TANF and Food Assistance elements are being separated in KEESM 3500 and subsections.
         
         
      8. Provisions Specific to TANF Support Services/Activity Costs/Contracted Employment Services/Employment Services – ‘The 24 month TANF time limit’ is being removed from KEESM 3410 as a reason to deny transitional support services.
         
         
   2. Clarifications
      
      
      
      1. Post Secondary Education – The name of this activity is being changed to Mentoring in KEESM 3330.8 so it will more closely align the activity name with its use. Post-Secondary Education is covered under Vocational Education. This activity has been repurposed to transitional services which includes mentoring. This matches the July KEES release. The activity name will also be updated in KEESM 3410.
         
         
      2. Ksworks/Keytrain – The name of this activity is being changed to Work Program Penalty in KEESM 3330.12 so it will more closely align the activity name with its use. This matches the July KEES release. The activity name will also be updated in KEESM 3410.
         
         
      3. Employment Services Tracking- This activity is being added as KEESM 3330.15 and will replace the Vocational Distance Learning activity in KEES. This matches the July KEES release.
         
         
4. Food Assistance
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      
      1. Additional Food Assistance Work Related Exemptions – Item (10), an exemption for women who are pregnant, is being added to KEESM 3220.
         
         
      2. Interim Report – If a household fails to file a complete IR within 10 days of it being mailed, the agency shall provide the household with an IR reminder notice advising the household that it has 10 days from the date of the reminder notice to file a complete IR. If an eligible household files a complete IR/12 month report during this 10-day period, the agency shall provide it with an opportunity to participate no later than 10 days after it’s normal issuance date. If the household does not respond to the reminder notice, the case will close and the closure notice will be sent.
         
         KEESM 9122.6 is being updated with this change.
         
         
   2. Clarifications
      
      
      1. Withdrawing the Application – FNS is requiring the addition of text in KEESM 1411.4 to indicate that an application can be withdrawn at any time "prior to a determination of eligibility" to adhere to the federal regulation.
         
         
      2. Household Composition – In order to comply with regulations, FNS is requiring the removal of "(or intend to after certification)" from KEESM 4210 (2):
         
         "...provided they do (or intend to after certification) purchase food and prepare meals...."
         
         It now reads "...provided they do purchase food and prepare meals...."
         
         
5. TANF
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      None
      
      
   2. Clarifications
      
      
      
      1. TANF Suspicion-Based Drug Testing – 2260.11, 2260.12 and 2260.13 are being updated to reflect clarifications in the first positive drug testing policy.
         
         2260.11: Individuals with a first positive drug test who are not identified as needing treatment may receive cash assistance benefits if they participate in a substance abuse program and a job skills program. See 2260.13 if the individual does not participate or complete these activities. For additional positive drug tests see 2260.13.
         
         2260.12: A plan for skills training will be coordinated between SRCC, the client, and the career navigator.
         
         2260.13: Disqualification for the individual will not occur unless the individual fails to enroll and complete substance abuse and skills-based training. If the individual fails to enroll and complete substance abuse and skills-based training, the individual will be disqualified until completion of substance abuse treatment and skills-based training.
         

FORMS (Explanation provided if not mentioned previously in this summary.)

Child Care

1. ES-3100FC, Foster Care Child Care Application – This new application form has been developed for use by foster families applying for child care for children in foster care.

2. ES-1512FC, Foster Care Child Care Change Report – This change report form is for use by foster families receiving child care for children in foster care to report changes.

3. ES-1627b, Child Care for Children in Safe Families for Children or Foster Care – This form is being updated for use with all children in foster care instead of just those in relative or kinship foster care.

4. ES-1640, Statement of Understanding – This has been changed to reflect the policy related to the 24 months to complete post-secondary education. It is being added back to the KEESM Forms list.

Employment Services

ES-4108, Collection Site Passport – Instructions have been added to the back of this document and it has been reposted.

APPENDIX (Explanation provided if not mentioned previously in this summary.)

Child Care

C-11, The Parent-Provider Partnership Handbook – This handbook is being updated with current child care policies and information.

E-9, Goals Self Sufficiency Agreement – This form is being revised to include information needed to make the referral for child care for GOALS participants.

Employment Services

T-1, Activities to Meet Work Requirements/ Participation, is being updated with the name changes for the WP activities.

TANF

E-4, TANF 24 Month Limit Questions – The item regarding payment of less than $10 in the initial month is being removed. No payments less than $10 are made.

MISCELLANEOUS FORMS (Explanation provided if not mentioned previously in this summary.)

EFFECTIVE DATE

All changes are effective July 1, 2019.

EFFECT ON LOCAL STAFF (No significant effect if not explained below.)

No significant effect.

MATERIALS OBSOLETED BY THIS REVISION

KEESM section 5724 and Appendix item W-9 are being removed because those are only related to medical assistance.

Policy Memo 19-01-01, GOALS; ABAWD E & T Work Program, is being removed as the information provided in that memo is now incorporated into KEESM section 3100 (2) (b).

COORDINATION EFFORTS

This change was coordinated with staff in Economic and Employment Services (EES), Executive leadership, and the EES Program Administrators.

Sincerely,
Sandra Kimmons, Assistant EES Director
Economic and Employment Services
SK:am