Since the KEES Winter 2022 release occurred at the end of February 2022, it has been noted that there is a need for clarification of how Hero Relief child care cases need to be processed. For both initial applications and reviews, the W-14 250% FPL Worksheet continues to be needed to correctly determine eligibility for the Hero Relief Program.

For applications, workers will need to run EDBC to check for financial eligibility after entering the income data, but prior to entering the CC data collection information. Before they run EDBC, staff will need to end date any existing Need Reasons. If there is an Active Need Reason, EDBC will fail for No Eligible Member and will not complete an income test. If EDBC fails for Excess Income, for households size 6 and under, staff should accept and save the EDBC, as the HH is not financially eligible. For families of seven or more, if KEES indicates that the countable income exceeds the allowable maximum, workers will need to also do an off-system calculation using Appendix worksheet W-14. If the W-14 calculation indicates that the family would be eligible for the Hero Relief Program, staff will approve the application using the social service need reason. There is no need to adjust the income, as KEES will waive the income test for that need reason.

For Reviews, since KEES will now run the income tests based on 85% of SMI for continued eligibility, workers will have to complete the W-14 and the following provisions will continue to apply to Hero Relief cases provided that all other eligibility requirements are met: 1) For households sizes 6 and under, if countable income at review is 250% of the FPL or less, the household will be to be eligible for an additional 12-month eligibility period through the Hero Relief Program. 2) For households sizes 6 and under, if income at review is greater than 250% of the FPL but no more than 85% of SMI, the household would be eligible for an additional 12 months through the regular child care program and the Hero Relief flag must be removed. Workers will also need to change the need reason from social service to maintain employment. 3) For households size 7 and larger, if countable income remains at or below 250% of FPL they will qualify for an additional 12 months of eligibility through the Hero Relief Program. Otherwise, they will be over income for the Hero Relief Program and the regular child care program.

These provisions will continue as long as the Hero Relief Program remains in effect.