State of Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services
Don Jordan, Secretary
Integrated Service Delivery - Candy Shively, Deputy Secretary (785) 296-3271
Economic and Employment Support - Bobbi Mariani, Director (785) 296-3349
....Enriching lives today and tomorrow

MEMORANDUM

This memo provides implementation instructions and information for the following January 1, 2010, policy changes in the Kansas Economic and Employment Support Manual (KEESM):

1. All Programs
   
   
   1. Census Income – See Summary of Changes, Item I, A, 1 and KEESM 6410(64). This revision implements the exemption of 2010 Census earned income for all programs. Most earned income will be received from March – June 2010, but the income is exempt through the benefit month of September 2010. Because the United States Department of Agriculture has specific reporting requirements , staff will still need to code Census earned income on the EAIN screen using the code of CI (Census Income). This code will exempt the income for all programs.
      
      It is also important to note that the exemption of Census income only applies to income directly received from the Census Bureau. Some of the Census jobs may be through private companies contracted through the Census Bureau and the income received by customers employed by an outside contractor can NOT be exempted under this provision.
      
      If there is any doubt whether or not the income is from a private contractor or the Census Bureau, the income source will need to be verified. Otherwise the income does not need to be verified since it is exempt.
      
      
   2. $25 Unemployment Compensation ARRA Payment – See Summary of Changes, Item I, A, 3 and KEESM 6220(5) and 6410(64). This revision implements the exemption of the supplemental $25 unemployment compensation payment authorized by ARRA. Previously this payment was only exempt for Medicaid purposes. The law that was signed on November 6, 2009 specifically exempts the $25 weekly payment for food assistance and requires that restored benefits be provided back to November 1, 2009. Although we are also implementing this change for cash and child care for consistency purposes, no recalculating of benefits is required for those programs as long as the change is implemented for the benefit month of January 2010.
      
      For food assistance, restored benefits must be provided starting with the benefit month of November 2009. This is mandated by USDA. Two reports of all active food assistance cases with unemployment compensation coded on UNIN will be provided. The first report will be generated using the December KAECSES extract and will be issued immediately following this Implementation Memo. The first report will reflect active food assistance cases with unemployment compensation coded for the month of November. Use the report to determine restored food assistance benefits for November and December. No special coding will be implemented for this change, so the $25 benefit (if coded separately as previously directed) should be coded as XA (Other Excluded All Programs) from the UNIN screen. If the total UC was budgeted instead of separating out the $25 benefit, then the regular benefit should be coded as countable with the $25 benefit coded XA. A second report will be issued in January reflecting unemployment benefits coded on KAECSES for the December 2009 benefit month. Persons reported on the December printout will be eliminated from the January report. Use this report to insure that all cases with unemployment compensation have been correctly rebudgeted to exempt the $25 ARRA UC payment. All cases must be rebudgeted for January 2010 and for food assistance, restored benefits provided for November and December 2009. If for some reason the case is not rebudgeted on time using these reports, then restored food assistance benefits must still be provided back to November 2009 when it is discovered later that the $25 ARRA UC benefit is being counted in error.
      
      
   3. Application Date – See Summary of Changes, Item 1, B, 2 and KEESM Sections 1411.2 and 1411.6.
      
      Direction is being given when applications are received without a specific request for assistance. Immediate contact with the applicant is needed to determine what assistance is being requested. If phone contact information is not available, then an appointment needs to be scheduled as soon as possible. Once the programs applying for are identified, the application needs to be registered within one business day for expedited and two business days if regular processing standards apply.

      Example: Bruce mails in an application for himself and his child. It is received August 14th. He does not indicate what program he wishes to apply for. The case manager leaves a phone message for Bruce. Because immediate contact is not made, an appointment letter is mailed. When Bruce attends his interview, he requests food assistance. He is eligible for expedited services. The food assistance case is registered immediately with the date the application was received in the office, August 14th

2. Cash, Food Assistance, Child Care Only
   
   
   1. Proration – See Summary of Changes, Item I, B, 1 and KEESM 1212.5. This section is being rewritten to align this policy with KEESM 9110 and to clarify reporting requirements between the date of the interview and the date of the approval of assistance. Changes, as specified in 9121, that occur for non- simplified reporters need to be reported within ten days from the date of the approval notice. Changes, as specified in KEESM 9122.1, that occur for simplified reporters also need to reported within ten days from the date of the approval notice.

      Example: Alice turns in an application for cash and food assistance on May 2nd. At the interview on the same date, she reports she lost her job and has no income, and her spouse and she have separated. The application is approved on May 4th and the approval and reporting requirements notice is mailed. Alice is required to report for TAF within 10 days of the approval notice that her spouse has returned to the home, and she has begun receiving unemployment compensation. Changes to the cash and food assistance cases will be made effective June 1, allowing for timely and adequate notice.