M E M O R A N D U M

TO:                 EES Program Administrators

FROM:           Dr. Carla Whiteside-Hicks, EES Director

DATE:           January 17, 2025

SUBJECT:    Implementation Instructions - KEESM Revision 118

This memo provides implementation instructions and information for the following January 17, 2025, policy changes in the Kansas Economic and Employment Services Manual (KEESM).

1. Food Assistance
   
   
   1. Receipt of LIEAP and the SUA – See Summary of Changes section III.A.1.
      
      On November 18, 2024, USDA FNS published a combined final rule for standard utility allowances and the treatment of LIEAP payments. Based on this final rule, policy is being modified to align with federal regulations.
      
      Effective January 17, 2025, households that have at least one person who has received a LIEAP payment of at least $20 in the current month or previous 12 months, or at least one month in the previous 12 months that the LIEAP payment was intended to cover, qualify to use the SUA.
      
      This includes households that have at least one person who received a LIEAP payment as part of a separate household. While these individuals no longer reside in the same household, they did receive a qualifying payment in the preceding 12 months and therefore are eligible for the SUA. The receipt of a qualifying LIEAP payment out of state would also qualify a household for the SUA.
      
      Current KEES rules do not align entirely with this policy change. Until KEES rules can be aligned, eligibility staff will need to determine if any household member(s) received a qualifying LIEAP payment when determining SUA eligibility. If an SUA is allowable based on receipt of LIEAP and is not automatically used in the determination of benefits based on KEES rules (review EDBC to determine), eligibility workers will have to manually add an SUA record.
      
      
      Examples:
      
      
      1. Mom, dad, and a mutual child received a LIEAP payment in December. In February, the household completed their Food Assistance review and reported they moved to a new address where they no longer have heating and cooling expenses. Because they received a LIEAP payment in the previous 12 months, they are eligible for the SUA. The eligibility worker ran EDBC and the SUA was applied based on current KEES rules.
         
         
      2. Dad, mom, and a mutual child received a LIEAP payment in December. In February, mom and child move out of the home and report a new address. Mom does not report having heating and cooling expenses at the new address. Because mom and child were members of a household that received a LIEAP payment in the previous 12 months, they are eligible for the SUA. The eligibility worker ran EDBC and noticed the SUA was not included so canceled out, manually added an SUA record on the Expense page and reran EDBC.
         
         
      3. Same situation as example 2 except dad is applying for food assistance and resides at the same address for which the LIEAP payment was issued. The eligibility worker ran EDBC, verified the SUA was allowed based on KEES rules, and authorized benefits. (Note: Both households in examples 2 and 3 are eligible for the SUA based on receipt of the same LIEAP payment.)
         
         
      4. The client recently moved to Kansas from another state. The client reported on their application they received LIEAP in the previous state 6 months ago, but they currently do not have heating or cooling expenses. Because they received a LIEAP payment in the previous 12 months, the client would be eligible for the SUA. Verification is not required unless questionable.
         
         
      5. Dad and child receive food assistance and live with dad’s parents who are not on the case. Dad is not being charged any rent or utilities until he gets back on his feet. Dad’s parents received a LIEAP payment this past year at their current address. Since no one in the food assistance household received a qualifying LIEAP payment, and the household is not otherwise eligible, they would not qualify for the SUA.
         
         
      6. Mom, dad, and an adult child received LIEAP in December. In June, the adult child moved to another town to attend college. The adult child does not report having heating or cooling costs and meets all other food assistance eligibility criteria. Because they were a member of a household that received a LIEAP payment in the previous 12 months, they are eligible for the SUA. The eligibility worker ran EDBC and noticed the SUA was not included so canceled out, manually added an SUA record on the Expense page and reran EDBC.
         
         
      7. Mom, dad, and an adult child received a LIEAP payment in December. In September, the adult child moved in with their significant other and they applied for food assistance. No heating and cooling expenses were reported. Because the adult child was a member of a household that received a LIEAP payment in the previous 12 months, they are eligible for the SUA. The eligibility worker ran EDBC and noticed the SUA was not included so canceled out, manually added an SUA record on the Expense page and reran EDBC.
         
         
      8. Mom and children received a LIEAP payment in January 2024. In March 2025 mom and children apply for food assistance and have moved residence since receiving the LIEAP payment and no longer pay for heating and cooling. Since the LIEAP payment was intended to cover the LIEAP season of December 2023 through March 2024 and March is within the previous 12 months, the household would qualify for the SUA based on receipt of LIEAP.