M E M O R A N D U M

TO:                 EES Program Administrators

FROM:           Dr. Carla Whiteside-Hicks, PhD. - EES Director

DATE:          January 7, 2026

SUBJECT:    Implementation Instructions - KEESM Revision 125

This memo provides implementation instructions and information for the following March 1, 2026, policy changes in the Kansas Economic and Employment Services Manual (KEESM).

1. Food Assistance
   
   National Accuracy Clearinghouse
   On October 3, 2022, USDA FNS published a final rule on the requirement for interstate data matching to prevent duplicate issuances. Based on this rule, the National Accuracy Clearinghouse (NAC) was created by the USDA, and all states are required to comply with the rule by October 4, 2027. Kansas will join the NAC in February 2026.
   
   Effective February 16, 2026, Food Assistance applicants and participants will be checked for duplicate participation at application, review, and when adding a household member to the case. This check will be done through querying the NAC via a KEES interface. Prior to conducting a NAC query, verification of residency, identity, and social security number must be obtained. Verification of the social security number must be done through the automated match with the Social Security Administration (SSA), which happens through interfaces between SSA and KEES and is initiated by an overnight batch. There is no change to the process of verifying residency or identity. Individuals with Social Security numbers that have been verified by the SSA will have a status of HUB-SSA or SSA-SVES on the Individual Demographics page in the KEES system.
   
   NOTE: A NAC query will not be conducted on individuals without a Social Security number. This includes non-citizens without a Social Security number and newborns. Individuals participating without a Social Security number per KEESM 2132 will have a NAC query conducted at review if a Social Security number has been provided and verified by automated match with the SSA.
   
   Normal and expedited processing standards apply. Determination of benefits for an individual cannot be delayed based on a lack of timely action or communication between states. For expedited cases, verification of Social Security number through SSA can be postponed to make benefits available within the required 7-day timeframe. Prior to authorizing a second month of benefits, a NAC query must be conducted as applicable.
   
   If, at the time of case processing, an individual’s SSN has not been verified by the automated match with SSA, a future task must be created using the following criteria:
   
   
   • Task Name: Materials Request
   • Select the Alert Queue
   • Due Date: 5 days from the date the task is created
   • Task Details: Check SSN verification status for <Client’s name> and run NAC.
     

At this time, the NAC only checks for duplicate participation in Food Assistance. For all other programs, please continue to reach out to other states using the National Directory of Contacts. The NAC does not contain information regarding ABAWD months used in other states, so staff will be required to reach out to states for this information.

To conduct a NAC query after verifying the required information, staff must check the appropriate people and click Submit NAC Query on the Verification Interface List page.

• If no match is found, continue processing the case.
• If a match is found:
  • Click the hyperlink that displays to go to the Duplicate Participation Match Details page.
  • As initial action is taken to resolve the match, fill out the information in the Initial Action section. Do not tell the client what state they matched with.
    

When receiving a positive match from a NAC query at application, review, or when adding a household member, Kansas is considered the Initiating State. DCF must:

• Notify the matching state within 10 days of the match
  
  • Only the match ID can be shared with the Matching State. No Personal Identifying Information is to be shared with the Matching State.
    
  • The Matching State’s contact email will be listed in the match results. Use the following template to communicate with the Matching State:
    • Subject: NAC Match ID: <Provide Match ID>
    • Body:
      • Response requested by: <10 days from send date>
      • Initiating State: Please provide participant status for the above-referenced case, including the participant’s closure date if applicable. <Additional background or context that the other state may need if the situation calls for it> Please send response to <client’s local office email>.
      • Matching State: Kansas was unsuccessful in reaching this participant and has requested verification of residency, with a due date of <date>. Please reach out to us at <client’s local office email> should you have any questions.
    • Communication with other states should be printed to Perceptive Content for documentation purposes.
      
• Communicate to the NAC that Kansas has started the process to resolve the match by:
  • Recording the initial action taken on the Duplicate Participation Match Details page
• Notify the individual of the match. Do not tell the client what state they matched with.
  • If more information is needed to resolve the match, a written notice of match results must be sent, providing the household 10 days to respond. Create a verification record in KEES and send a V808 with the Initiating State copy and paste text added.
  • If verification of case closure in the other state is provided with the application, and more information is not needed to resolve the match, a written notice of match results is not required; however, the individual must be verbally notified. Verbal notification must be documented.
• Verify case closure in the other state indicated in the match
• After the match has been resolved, the resolution information must be shared with the other state indicated in the match. This is done by updating the Duplicate Participation Match Details page in the KEES system, accessed through the Verification Interface List page.

Information displayed on the Duplicate Participation Match Details page includes:

• Match Status – the current status of the match
• Match Record Creation Date – the date on which the match was created
• Match Query By – the state that initiated the match
• Food Assistance Participant Information:
  • Case Number
  • Client ID
  • Participant Closing Date*
  • Recent Certification Months*
• Match Information
  • Vulnerable Individual indicator
  • Invalid Match
    • Used for instances when a worker determines that a match found by the NAC is a false match. False match reasons include:
      • Incorrect client information
        • Inaccurate information about the client was provided to the NAC for matching (e.g., a typo in an SSN)
      • System error
        • A system issue caused an invalid match to be created (e.g., a person who is no longer a participant was included in the participant upload).
      • Potential identity theft
        • There is reason to believe the name, SSN, or DOB being used does not belong to the individual.
      • Other – This value should not be selected.
  • Initial Action Taken options include:
    • Notice sent
    • Client Provided Required Verification (only when Kansas is the Initiating State)
    • Client Verified Moved Out of State (only when Kansas is the Matching State)
  • Initial Action Date
    • This is required upon adding an initial action.
  • Final Disposition Taken options include:
    • Benefits Approved is used when the worker has completed the application process, and benefits will be approved and issued. This option is only used when Kansas is the Initiating State.
    • Benefits Denied is used when the worker has completed the application process, and benefits will be denied. This option is only used when Kansas is the Initiating State.
    • Benefits Terminated is used when the worker determines the participant is no longer eligible to receive benefits, took action to close the case, and terminated the benefits. This option is only used when Kansas is the Matching State.
    • Benefits Unchanged is used when the worker determines the participant continues to be eligible to receive benefits and no additional actions were taken. This option is only used when Kansas is the Matching State.
  • Final Disposition Date
    • This is required upon adding the Final Disposition.
    • State Contact Information – email address and phone number for the other state
      

* Information displayed in these fields can not be used to verify case closure in another state. Only the information displayed in the Final Disposition field is considered verified upon receipt.

DCF will begin daily submission of a list of active Food Assistance participants to the NAC so that other states can query against Food Assistance participants in Kansas. Submitting this list happens automatically in the KEES system overnight. This file is encrypted and contains the names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth of all active Kansas Food Assistance recipients, as well as an indicator for Vulnerable Individuals. A Vulnerable Individual includes, but is not limited to, those who would be endangered by the dissemination of their information, such as:

• A resident of a shelter for battered women and children
• A resident of a domestic violence shelter, or
• A person who self-identifies as fleeing domestic violence.
  

The Vulnerable Individual Indicator is located on the Household Status page and must be marked for all applicants and participants who meet the definition.

The NAC automatically conducts monthly bulk matches of active participants to discover existing duplicate participation. Other states initiating NAC queries will reach out to DCF when processing their own cases. In both of these instances, Kansas is considered the Matching State and is required to pursue verification of residency on any NAC matches received during the certification period. The PARIS unit will process matches in which Kansas is the Matching State. A notice of match results is required to be sent when:

• DCF receives notification of a match directly from the NAC, indicating that an individual is receiving benefits in another state.
• DCF receives notification of a match from the NAC or another state, indicating that an individual who is an active participant in Kansas is part of an applicant household or has been added to an active household in another state.
• To send a notice of match results, generate a V808 and add the Matching State copy and paste text.

Examples:

1. Harold moved to Kansas from out of state and has applied for Food Assistance. Harold previously received benefits in Kansas, and his SSN was verified with SSA at that time. The status reason displayed on the Individual Demographics page confirms this. The worker queries the NAC, and no match is found. The worker continues processing the case.
   
   
2. Nancy applied herself and her child. The NAC query results in matches for both household members. The worker explains to Nancy that there is a match in a database used to detect receipt of Food Assistance benefits in multiple states at the same time. Nancy states she just moved back to Kansas from out of state and provides her closure letter from Texas. The worker updates the Duplicate Participation Match Details page. Client Provided Required Verification is selected in the Initial Action field. Benefits Approved is selected in the Final Disposition field. The worker documents the discussion with the client.
   1. Same scenario as example two, but Nancy does not have verification of case closure with her. The worker will generate a V808 and use the Initiating State copy and paste text. The worker will email Texas using the template for Initiating State and update the match details page with the Notice Sent value selected in the Initial Action field.
      
      
3. Joe and his wife, Selena, have applied for Food Assistance in Kansas. Selina is a U.S. citizen, but Joe is undocumented and does not have an SSN. The worker will only query the NAC for Selina.
   
   
4. Same example as above, but both are citizens with SSNs that have not been verified by SSA. Before benefits can be authorized, a NAC query must be conducted. The worker will work the case as far as possible and set a future task with a due date of 5 calendar days in the future. The next worker picking up the case will check the Individual Demographics page to confirm the SSNs have been verified. The worker will then query the NAC and authorize benefits if there are no matches.
   
   
5. On her IR, Mia reports her child is now in the home. The worker conducts a NAC query on the child only and finds a match in Oklahoma. When asked, Mia reports that the child was with their father for the summer but has come home for the school year and provides verification that the child is residing in Kansas via school enrollment. Verification of case closure in Oklahoma must be obtained before the child can receive benefits in Kansas. The worker will reach out to Oklahoma using the initiating state copy and paste text. On the Duplicate Participation Match Details page, Notice Sent is selected in the Initial Action field. A V808 is sent to the household using the Initiating State copy and paste text. Oklahoma responds to the request, verifying the child was removed from their father’s case effective the last day of the current month. The child is added to Mia’s case for the following month, and the Duplicate Participation Match Details page is updated with Benefits Approved in the Final Disposition field.
   
   
6. Rigo was identified in a NAC match during his interview for Food Assistance. The worker processing the case completed the Duplicate Participation Match Details page, sent the notice of match results to the client, and sent an email inquiry to the matching state. It has been 10 days since the inquiry was sent, and there has been no response from the other state, nor has Rigo provided verification of case closure in the other state. Without this verification, Rigo is not eligible for Food Assistance in Kansas. It has been 30 days since Rigo applied for benefits, so a determination must be made in order to have this case processed timely. The Food Assistance application is denied.
   
   
7. While working the monthly bulk match report, the PARIS unit found that Alexis was indicated in a NAC match. The notice of match results was sent to the client by the PARIS unit, requesting verification of Kansas residency. The client provides her current lease agreement, verifying she is living in Kansas. The worker picking up the case updates the Verifications List page and adds a Final Disposition of Benefits Unchanged to the Duplicate Participation Match Details page. The Final Disposition Date is entered.