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This memo provides implementation instructions and information for Food Assistance 15% ABAWD Exemptions.
15% ABAWD Exemption
Federal law provides that each State agency be allotted ABAWD exemptions equal to 15% of the State’s caseload that is ineligible for program benefits because of ABAWD time limits. Because DCF has not used these ABAWD exemptions for many years, 58,000 exemptions have accumulated for Kansas. These exemptions allow the State agency to extend Food Assistance eligibility of ABAWDs subject to the time limit.
State agencies have flexibility to apply 15% exemptions as they deem appropriate. DCF has chosen to give eligibility to ABAWDs who are not meeting the work requirement beyond the 3-month time limit. Each exemption extends eligibility to one ABAWD for one month. Starting May 20, 2019, all Applications, Reviews, Interim Reports or Changes (non-ABAWDs to ABAWD) received for a true ABAWD will be approved or benefits continued using the 15% ABAWD exemption for the months of July, August, and September only. The 36-month time clock starts over October 1, 2019.
- 15% ABAWD Exemption CANNOT be used on:
- Exempt ABAWDs
- ABAWDs meeting work requirements
- ABAWDs eligible for one-time 3-month extension
Although the 15% exemption allows ABAWDs to receive benefits while not meeting the work requirement, it is crucial to have the correct time limits record for tracking purposes.
Things to Consider:
- Staff should continue entering time limit records
- ABAWD time-limit clock will stop ‘ticking’ and cases will not close via Batch for Time Limits Reached – ABAWD until the new ABAWD period begins
- The last system automated month was for 5/2019 Statuses
- The new 3-year period for ABAWDs begins 10/1/2019
- KEES will carry over the time limit record from 9/2019, if blank then it will add ‘Did not meet work/training requirements.
Scenarios |
Time Limit Records |
Policy Considerations |
Application received and ABAWD is exempt or meeting work requirements. |
Worker must create a time limit record the first full month of Food Assistance benefits and each month thereafter until 5 months unless the next IR or review is prior to the 5 months. Set task if needed. |
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Application received on or after May 20th and applicant is not meeting work/training requirement. |
Worker must create a time limit record the first full month of Food Assistance benefits and a subsequent 2nd month. |
Application should be denied for May and/or June if time limits are reached in either of those months and approve for July, August, and September. If time limits are reached and application received in May deny the application month of May and rescind using the 2nd month ineligible reason. If time limits are reached and application received in June deny the application month of June and rescind using the 1st month ineligible reason. |
Received 3 months (including their 3-month extension) prior to 7/1/2019 and are not meeting work/training requirement. |
Worker must update the last ‘Did not meet work/training requirement” month to ‘Appeal’ and the 3 extension months to ‘Appeal’ as well. To ensure the appropriate status is added when the new 36-month period begins. |
If client is eligible for the one-time extension, follow standard one-time extension process. |
Received 3 months prior to 7/1/2019 and are exempt or meeting work/training requirement. |
Worker must create a time limit record for the pro-rated month to approve benefits and each month thereafter until 5 months unless the next IR or review is due prior to the 5 months. Set task if needed. |
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Will hit their 3rd month during 7/1/2019-9/30/2019. |
Worker should create a time limit record beginning the first full month of Food Assistance benefits up to the 2nd month. If still within their first set of 3 months we want to use those months and not use as a 15% exemption. |
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Ongoing case where their 3rd ABAWD month is 6/2019. |
Worker should not create a time limit record, and neither will KEES since the last system automated month was 5/2019. If we don’t have a record at all we do not have to switch the last month to “Appeal”. |
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