KANSAS DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN
AND FAMILIES
Family Services
DCF Administration Building
555 S. Kansas Ave., 6th Floor
Topeka, KS 66603

To:

Regional Directors
Economic and Employment Services Program Administrators
Economic and Employment Services Staff
Prevention and Protection Services Administrators
Other Staff

Re:

Summary of Changes for Kansas Economic and Employment Services Manual (KEESM) Revision No. 113 effective December 1, 2023

OVERVIEW OF CHANGES

A brief overview of the major changes is described below. Other clarifications and technical corrections are also included and described in the next section. Additional technical corrections not mentioned here are being incorporated in KEESM, as needed.

Child Care – Effective December 1, 2023 Child Care benefit rates are being adjusted based on a recent narrow cost analysis that was used to determine the actual cost to child care providers of providing child care services. Not all age and county groupings will change. In addition, all child care benefits will be issued at the DCF rate, regardless of the rate a child care provider charges.  Policy around how much a child care provider may charge DCF families is also changing to allow providers to charge families receiving DCF subsidies up to the DCF rate, even if the rate they charge private pay families is lower.   If the rate the provider charges to private pay families is higher than the DCF rate, the provider may choose to also charge that higher rate to families receiving DCF subsidy.

Employment Services- KEESM 3000 has been reviewed and had the language updated to include the following: ‘case manager’ changed to ‘career navigator’; ‘Work Programs’ changed to ‘Employment Services’; ‘SASSI’ changed to ‘substance use screening’; ‘supervisor’ changed to ‘Employment Services Program Administrator’; ‘TABE’ changed to ‘Adult Basic Education Testing’; ‘Component’ changed to ‘Activity’; Gender identification such as ‘he or she’ changed to ‘they’; and grammatical corrections.  Procedure instructions have been removed from KEESM when they do not directly affect policy.

Low Income Energy Assistance Program - Updated Income guidelines are being added to KEESM.

DESCRIPTION, PURPOSE, AND DETAILS OF POLICY CHANGE

  1. Child Care

    1. Changes

      1. Informed Parental Choice (Child Care) – KEESM 1213.9 is being modified to change the reference to the Kansas Quality Network to the new website for Child Care in Kansas (CCinK).

      2. Role of Resource and Referral Agencies – KEESM 10011 is being modified to change the reference to the Kansas Quality Network (KQN) to the new website for Child Care in Kansas (CCinK).

      3. DCF Rates – KEESM 10240 is being modified to indicate that DCF child care benefit rates are determined based on both a market analysis and a narrow cost analysis. In addition, language that restricted child care providers from charging families receiving DCF child care benefits more than they charge private pay families has been removed, and guidelines added explaining what child care providers may charge those families.

      4. Provider Rate Modification – KEESM 10250 is being modified to update the process for child care providers’ rate changes.

  2. Employment Services

  1. Changes

    1. Gather Information (KEESM 3130.2) - The statement ‘If a client self-declares a mental or physical disability after the first 12 months of TANF benefits, the client will be responsible to set appointments and pay for additional assessments that may be needed to verify their disability.’ has been removed.

    2. Vocational Education (3310.7) – The reference to E&T is being removed as E&T now has a separate section for their activities.

    3. Alcohol and Other Drug Assessment and Treatment (KEESM 3330.1) - The reference to SRCC monitoring DCF activities has been removed as this statement is inaccurate as it is not a part of the SRCC contract to monitor our activities.

    4. Head Start and Early Head Start (KEESM 3330.5) - Reference to the Supervised Community Service activity and the Work Experience activity have been replaced with ‘Job Search/Job Readiness activity or other appropriate activity’.

    5. Transportation for TANF (KEESM 3411.1 ) - The following statements are being removed:

      1. ‘Documentation of the mode of transportation to be utilized and a back up transportation plan should be included in the case file. Documentation is also required in the event that no monthly transportation allowance is authorized.’ as the only federal requirement for documentation is found in 261.61 (a) where it states, 'A State must support each individual's hours of participation through documentation in the case file. '

      2. For clients participating in On-the-Job Training , this twelve month time period begins the month following the last month of the On-the-Job Training activity.’ as OJT is rarely used and when it is used, the last month of the On-the-Job Training activity would coincide with the end of TANF so the 12 months would be the same.

      3. Transportation is available for employment related needs of TANF applicants who obtain employment while in applicant status and the application for cash assistance is denied. Payment of transportation for employment related needs of these denied TANF applicants is limited to authorization in the month of TANF application and the month following the month of application. as it was moved to 3411.

    6. Special Services Allowance (KEESM 3411.2) – The following statements are being removed:

      1. For clients participating in On-the-Job Training , this twelve month time period begins the month following the last month of the On-the-Job Training activity.’ as OJT is rarely used and when it is used, the last month of the On-the-Job Training activity would coincide with the end of TANF so the 12 months would be the same.

      2. Transportation is available for employment related needs of TANF applicants who obtain employment while in applicant status and the application for cash assistance is denied. Payment of transportation for employment related needs of these denied TANF applicants is limited to authorization in the month of TANF application and the month following the month of application. as it was moved to 3411.

      3. NADA has been added as another valid source to obtain the retail value of a vehicle.

      4. The maximum payment for an inspection has increased from $50 to $150.

      5. ‘When received, the client must provide a copy of the title for the case file.’ has been removed.

      6. The maximum allowance for relocation has increased from $1500 to $2000.

    7. Family Mentor (KEESM 3411.3) - This section has been removed as it is no longer a support service being used.

    8. Contracted Employment Services (KEESM 3413) - The responsibility for establishing provider agreements is no longer the responsibility of each region.  Provider agreements are now established by Economic and Employment Services.

  2. Clarifications

    1. Purpose (3000.1) – The information regarding Phase II changes for Welfare Reform has been replaced with the statement, ‘Employment Services will accomplish these goals by:’ as Phase II has been in effect for over 20 yrs.  Our emphasis remains the same for post-employment.

    2. TANF Participation Rate Requirements (KEESM 3110.1) -

      1. This section has been reorganized to make it easier to follow when identifying a Work Eligible Individual and identifying a two-parent family for federal participation requirements.  

      2. This section has been clarified to show a 2P family must include a child with an Active status in the home.  This does not include unborns.

      3. This section has been clarified to show that if one of the parents is verified to be disabled, it is not a 2P family.

    3. Documentation (3130.3) -  The phrase, ‘short-term’ is being removed as it is irrelevant since all strategies listed are short-term so they can be measurable.

    4. Work Related Exemptions for TANF and E&T (KEESM 3210) –

      1. The title is being updated to show these exemptions apply to E&T as well now that E&T is mandatory.

      2. #4 is being updated to show the Need for Care exemption has been clarified to identify the difference in the requirements for an adult needing care and a child needing care.

    1. Additional Work Related Exemptions for Food Assistance E&T  (KEESM 3220) - Clarification has been added to show that these exemptions apply to E&T as well as the exemptions in 3210.

    2. Primary Employment Service Activities for TANF & GOALS (KEESM 3310) –

      1. “Federal’ has been removed to show the work requirements are for Employment Services participation.

      2. Information regarding hours if DCF Child Care is not used has been added as a reminder of the requirements in 3110.1 (2)(b).

    3. Secondary Work Activities for TANF & GOALS (KEESM 3320)

      1. “Federal’ has been removed to clarify the work requirements to meet Employment Services participation.

      2. Information regarding hours if DCF Child Care is not used has been added as a reminder of the requirements in 3110.1 (2)(b).

    4. Prevention and Protection Services (KEESM 3330.3) - Clarification has been provided to show ES will consult PPS staff prior to assigning activities when possible as the safety of the children takes precedence over work program participation.

    5. Transitional Services for TANF (KEESM 3410) –

      1. Clarification has been added to show support services payments may be issued to vendors during the 12-month period but may only be issued to clients during the 12-month period if they are employed. 

      2. Since there is no need for a transportation allowance to cure a penalty, the statement has been removed.

      3. Prior approval from the ES Program Administrator is no longer required when authorizing a payment.

      4. The procedure instructions for what activity to open when a case is placed in transitional services are no longer valid and are being removed.

    6. Support Services Specific to TANF and GOALS Work Program Participation (KEESM 3411) –

      1. The phrase, ‘required to job search as part of their TANF eligibility’ is being replaced with ‘participating in Job Search/Job Readiness’ as clients are no longer required to participate in Job Search/Job Readiness prior to approval.

      2. ‘Transportation and special service allowance is available for employment related needs of TANF applicants who obtain employment while in applicant status and the application for cash assistance is denied. Payment of transportation for employment related needs of these denied TANF applicants is limited to authorization in the month of TANF application and the month following the month of application.’ is being moved from 3411.1 & 3411.2.

    7. Post-employment Services (KEESM 3414.2) -This section has been reorganized to eliminate the duplication of services and to combine like services. (17 reduced to 9)

    8. Failure to Meet Work Related Requirements (KEESM 3500)- Clarification has been added stating, ‘If a person fails to cooperate with their assigned activity and is also participating in the Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault activity, the career navigator will contact the DV/SA advocate to determine if there is good cause for failing to cooperate with the additional activities assigned.' 
  1. Low Income Energy Assistance Program

    1. Changes

      1. Income Guidelines - KEESM 13362 is being updated with the current 150% federal poverty level amounts.

Appendix

Child Care

C-10, Child Care Provider Handbook is being updated with new information about provider payment policies and provider responsibilities. In addition,   references to the Kansas Quality Network website are being updated to the new website for Child Care in Kansas.

C-18 and C-18a Maximum Hourly Child Care Provider Rate Schedules are being updated with the rates that are being adjusted effective December 1, 2023.

Employment Services

E-10, Program Comparison Chart is being updated with the work registrants 18-59 and current SNAP E & T activities.

FORMS

Low Income Energy Assistance Program

ES-3500 has been updated.

ES-3500S has been updated.

ES-3500A has been removed.

EFFECTIVE DATE

All policies in this revision are effective December 1, 2023. Additional information is being included in the Implementation Memo.

EFFECT ON LOCAL STAFF

Child Care

The changes being made will have minimal effect on staff.

COORDINATION EFFORTS

The material in this letter and manual revision has been coordinated with staff in Economic and Employment Services, Executive leadership, the EES Program Administrators, and the Implementation Planning Team.

Sincerely,
Carla Whiteside-Hicks, PhD
Economic and Employment Services Director
CWH:cw
Page Last Updated: November 30, 2023 11:49 AM