Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services
Janet Schalansky, Secretary
Integrated Service Delivery - Candy Shively, Deputy Secretary (785)
296-3271
Economic and Employment Support - Bobbi Mariani, Director (785) 296-3349
MEMORANDUM
To:
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EES Chiefs and Staff
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Date:
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January 5, 2004
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From:
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Bobbi Mariani
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RE:
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Implementation - ABAWD Age Increase
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This memo provides implementation instructions
for the increase in the ABAWD upper age limit as described in KEESM
Revision No. 17. Please see KEESM 2520 and the Summary of Change
for Revision 17, item IV, A, 1. To summarize, the ABAWD upper age
limit is increasing from 45 to 49, the federally mandated age.
With this change, able-bodied adults without dependents age 45
to 49 will no longer be exempt from the ABAWD provisions of KEESM
2520. The month in which the individual turns 50, the ABAWD provisions
no longer apply.
Applications - The new policies are effective for all applications
received or processed on or after January 1, 2004. Remember, all
cases identified with an ABAWD subject to the 3 of 36 month eligibility
limit are to be sent the F845 - FS-Important Information (ABAWD),
in addition to the approval notice.
Ongoing cases, including cases with reviews due in Jan-March
- All
affected individuals ages 45 through 49 who do not meet the ABAWD
work criteria will first receive their 3 months out of 36 months
as an ABAWD not meeting the work criteria before being terminated
from food stamps. These months will be the months of January -
March 2004. The individual would then lose food stamp eligibility
effective March 31, 2004.
The following provides implementation information for ongoing cases:
- Identify affected cases: A printout based on the December
extracts has been sent to the EES Chiefs. This report lists
all persons
between the ages of 45-49 and working less than 20 hours
a week at minimum wage that appear to be ABAWDs affected by
this policy
change. (The programming for this report also excludes
persons with certain disability incomes, any FS cases with
a child under
18, TAF participants, and persons with a reason code
of IN (Incapacitated/Ill) or NC (Needed caretaker of incapacitated
HH member) on JOPR.) The
report will also not include persons turning 50 in the
months of December-April 2004. Persons who will turn 50 in
any of those months
will become exempt from the ABAWD criteria and should
not be terminated from food stamps due to this policy change.
(April is included
since a person turning 50 anytime in April is exempt
for the whole month of April.)
Please note that the programming for this report will provide staff
with a list of potential persons affected by this change. A careful
review of the case situation will be needed to determine if the
person is actually impacted. For example, the report excludes cases
if there is a child under the age of 18 on the same FS case as
the potential ABAWD. If there is a child in the home under 18,
but not on the same FS case as the potential ABAWD, this cannot
be picked up via this report and the person will be listed. After
a review of the case situation, it would be determined that the
person is exempt from the ABAWD criteria since there is a child
under 18 in the home.
- Determine if individuals listed can be otherwise determined
exempt from the ABAWD provisions: Using the list
of persons identified
as affected by this policy change, determine if any of the persons
would (or could with a doctors statement, etc) be exempt for one
of the reasons outlined in KEESM 2521. Code JOPR with the correct
food stamp work program referral and reason code. Make sure the
reason code is not AB on JOPR. (The reason code of AB should only
be used for persons subject to the 3 of 36 month time limit.) Note
on the report those that are determined exempt from the ABAWD criteria.
- Send special notice to those determined not exempt
from ABAWD provisions: Using the printout provided,
and removing those exempt for another reason, send special
notice to affected consumers explaining
the policy change and that they will get three more months of benefits
before they will be terminated from food stamps. The new notice
is the F848, FS-Notice of ABAWD Changes. This notice should be
sent to all affected cases by January 31, 2004. Complete the ES-4312,
ABAWD Eligibility Tracking Form.
- A second printout will be issued based on the February
extracts: A second printout of 45-49 year olds as described above, will be
issued based on the February extracts and issued on approximately
February 10, 2004. Persons newly coded with a JOPR reason code
of IN or NC since the time of the first report will be excluded.
This printout will reflect the cases still open as of that date
that need final review for continued eligibility or case closure.
If the person is not exempt from the ABAWD provisions for any other
reason, the case is to be closed if applicable, effective 3/31/04
or the person coded DI effective 4/1/04. If the case is being closed,
use the AB closure code. Send closure (F416) or change (F716) notice
- special wording will be added to these notices in March that
explains that the person may reapply the month they turn 50. Timely
and adequate notice is required.
- Special information for counties with FS E & T: In those counties
where the 45-49 year old person was mandatory for FS E & T
activities, these new ABAWDs will become exempt from work participation
for food stamps effective 12/31/03. Corresponding EPS cases should
be terminated and any FS E & T support services ended. Send
appropriate notice and update JOPR.
- Notices: The following notices have been added or modified
due to this policy change:
New
- F848, FS - Notice of ABAWD Changes
Modified
- F216, FS Denial - ABAWD Requirements Not Met
- F416, FS Closure - ABAWD Requirements Not Met
- F716, FS Change in Benefits - ABAWD Requirements
- F845, FS- Important Information (ABAWD)
- All SR notices that mention the ABAWD age limit: F107, F706, V054,V057,
V058, V059, and V060.
NOTE: Cases with persons identified as an ABAWD per 2527(1) are subject
to a six month review period. Most of the ongoing cases affected
by this policy change will have 12 month review periods established.
Since there are no provisions for shortening the review period,
the original 12 month review period and IR due date shall remain
intact. If the ABAWD is in the home at the time of the next review
and coded IN due to meeting the work requirement, or coded DI,
then a 6 month review period would be appropriate at that time
per 9372(2)(a). Note that the case is still subject to simplified
reporting but with a six month review period.
Case Example: Berta is 42 and gets SSI. She lives
with her boyfriend Sam who is 46. Sam has no income. The case is
certified
for 11/1/03-10/31/04. The IR is due 4/04. Sam is not otherwise
exempt from the ABAWD
criteria. He is sent the special notice, F848 on
January 25,
2004. In March, he is "removed" from Berta’s
case by being coded DI. Notice F716 is sent providing
timely and adequate
notice. The IR is due 4/04 and received. When the
IR is processed, Berta remains eligible for the
remainder of the review period
with Sam coded DI. The next IR due is entered as
4/05. Review processed
in 10/04. Sam is still in the home and unemployed,
thus he remains coded DI. The case is still subject
to simplified
reporting but
the review period is 6 months per 9372(2)(a). MRHR is coded
N and NA since an IR is no longer due. The IR due date of
4/05 is then
removed from FSAD screen. If staff have any questions please contact Pam Jacob.
BM:PJ:jmm
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