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. 122 effective December 1, 2025 |
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 into KEESM, as needed.
Food Assistance - On July 4, 2025, Public Law 119-21, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 (OBBB) was signed into law. The OBBB increases the age of those subject to ABAWD time limit rules, removes and adds new exemptions for those subject to the ABAWD time limit rules, changes non-citizen eligibility for Food Assistance, and amends the availability of the Standard Utility Allowance based on receipt of LIEAP. To ensure the state’s compliance with new regulations, the policy has been updated.
DESCRIPTION, PURPOSE, AND DETAILS OF POLICY CHANGE
- All Programs
- Changes
- Compromising Claims – KEESM 11129 is being modified to align with federal regulations.
- Clarifications
- Time Frames and Limits for Establishing Claims – KEESM 11123 is being modified to clarify which unit is responsible for each type of claim.
- Claims Discharged through Bankruptcy – KEESM 11126.3 is being modified to clarify collection activity for non-fraud vs. fraud when there are bankruptcy proceedings in process.
- Food Assistance
- Changes
- Able-bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) – OBBB changes to ABAWD time limit rules.
- KEESM 2520 is being modified to reflect changes in age to 18 through 64, and the dependent age to children under 14 years of age.
- KEESM 2521 is being modified to reflect changes in the exemption for persons under age 18 or age 65 or over.
- KEESM 2521 (4) is being modified to reflect changes in the exemption for persons caring for a child under age 14.
- KEESM 2521 (10) homeless exemption is being removed and replaced with an exemption for individuals who meet the definition of Indian.
- KEESM 2521 (11) veteran exemption is being removed and replaced with an exemption for individuals who meet the definition of Urban Indian.
- KEESM 2521 (12) foster care exemption is being removed and replaced with an exemption for individuals who meet the definition of California Indian.
- Qualified Non-Citizen Status for Food Assistance – OBBB changes to non-citizen eligibility for Food Assistance.
- KEESM 2143.1 is being modified to reflect that non-citizens who have been granted the status of Cuban Haitian Entrant and COFA citizens are immediately eligible. All other statuses previously listed were removed.
- KEESM 2143.2 is being modified to reflect that individuals granted lawful permanent residency are eligible after having lived in the United States for 5 years or longer.
- KEESM 2143.3 is being modified to reflect the additional conditions that must be met for a lawful permanent resident to be eligible without having served the 5-year waiting period.
- KEESM 2144 is being modified to remove mention of the Food Assistance program and specify that this provision only applies to the TANF and Child Care programs.
- Shelter Costs – OBBB changes to standard utility allowance based on receipt of LIEAP.
- KEESM 7226.3 is being modified to reflect that only households containing an elderly or disabled member are eligible for the Standard Utility Allowance solely based on receipt of a qualifying LIEAP payment.
- Energy Assistance – OBBB changes to the treatment of third-party energy assistance payments provided under a state law.
- KEESM 6410 (20) is being modified to reflect that for Food Assistance, these payments are considered exempt for households containing an elderly or disabled member.
- Clarifications
- Time Frames and Limits for Establishing Claims – KEESM 11123 is being modified to Fraud overpayment claims for Food Assistance must be calculated back to the month the act first occurred, but no more than six years.
- Food Assistance Mandatory Employment and Training (E&T Recipients) – KEESM 3100.2 has been clarified to reflect that the Consolidated Work Requirements (E-26) must be verbally reviewed with participants.
- Verification of Non-Citizen Status through SAVE – KEESM 2146.4 has been modified to match current procedures for documenting SAVE verification in the case record.
Appendix
Food Assistance
A-1, KEES Non-Citizenship Documents and Eligibility, is being updated to reflect the new non-citizen eligibility policy for Food Assistance.
E-26 and E-26S, Consolidated Work Requirements, were updated to coincide with Policy Memo 25-10-08 ABAWD Changes.
V-2 and V-3, EBT Brochures, were updated with common languages.
X-13, USDA Nondiscrimination Statement, has been updated.
Whole Family Services
E-2, Income and Support Plan II, has been removed.
Forms
All Programs
ES-1603, Address Change-Voter Registration Information, has been removed.
IM-3120.6, SAVE Verification Report, has been removed.
PA-3113, Worksheet Eligibility Unit, has been removed.
Food Assistance
ES-1600, ES-2007, ES-2007S, ES-3100.6, ES-3100.6S, ES-3100, ES-3100S were updated with common languages.
LIEAP
ES-3501, Subsidized Housing Worksheet, has been removed.
EFFECTIVE DATE
All policies in this revision are effective December 1, 2025.
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 |