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

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 - Initial income eligibility guidelines for child care assistance are being changed to allow families to qualify if their income does not exceed 250% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) or 85% of the State Median Income (SMI). In addition, family share deductions are being changed, allowing for a zero family share deduction if a family’s countable income is less than 100% of the FPL, and reducing family shares for all families with incomes at or above 100% of the FPL.

Food Assistance – Inmates being discharged from State Correctional facility may submit an application and complete an interview by phone prior to release.

DESCRIPTION, PURPOSE, AND DETAILS OF POLICY CHANGE

1. Child Care
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      
      1. The Family Share Deduction – KEESM section 7541 is being changed to indicate that a family share deduction is assigned to families with countable income at or above 100% of the Federal Poverty Level.
         
         
      2. Income Eligible (Non-TANF) Child Care – KEESM section 2835 is being modified to indicate that no family share deduction is assigned to families with incomes at or below 100% of the FPL, and that income cannot exceed 250% of the FPL.
         
         
      3. Priorities for Child Care Services – KEESM section 2840, item #6 is being modified to indicate that the 6^th priority for child care is families with incomes at or below 250% of the FPL.
         
         
   2. Clarifications
      
      None
      
      
2. Employment Services
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      
      1. Potential Employment Violation- 3540 is being reorganized to easily identify when Eligibility is responsible for issuing the non-compliance and when Employment Services is responsible for issuing the non-compliance. The 30 hour requirement is also being removed for TANF clients in recipient status.
         
         
      2. Support Services Payments- The reference to the $5000 limit and the need for Manager’s approval is being removed from 3410 as 3400 already states, ‘Any single payment exceeding $1,000.00 must have supervisory approval.’
         
         
      3. Able-bodied Adults Without Dependents- KEESM 2520 is being changed to show case management plus education, training, or workfare and supervised job search must comprise less than 50% of the ABAWD’s activities.
         
         
   2. Clarifications
      
      
      1. Reference to GOALS is being included for support services where appropriate in KEESM 3400 & 3411.
         
         
      2. TANF work program is being changed to Employment Services in KEESM 3412 & 3413.
         
         
      3. All references to Employment and Training are being changed to Food Assistance E&T and references to ‘available counties’ is being removed since the E&T Program is now available in all counties. KEESM 2515, 2520, 2527, 2820, 2835, 3100, 3100.2, 3330.8, 3420.1, 5140, & 9220.
         
         
      4. The reference to E&T is being removed from KEESM 3330.1 as the Alcohol and Other Drug Assessment and Treatment activity is not a valid activity for this program.
         
         
3. Food Assistance
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      
      1. 1411.3 (2) is being updated to reflect that Correctional Facilities may begin the application process for potentially eligible inmates a maximum of 30 days prior to their release. Workers are to conduct phone interviews with inmates prior to their release. The application is to the processed and held until the individual is released and benefits can be issued.
         
         
      2. A note is being added to the end of 1614.3 to reflect that Federal Regulations are required to be cited on the appeal summary. Office of Administrative Hearings will add the Federal Regulation to the fair hearing final decision notices sent to the household. Workers must use the table from the Appendix P-10 citing the appropriate federal regulation that goes with KEESM in the appeal summary. The most common appeal reasons are listed in the table. If workers need a Federal Regulation that is not listed in the table, they must contact the Food Assistance Program Manager. This will ensure that the correct Federal Regulations are used on the final decision notice.
         
         
   2. Clarifications
      
      None
      

FORMS (Explanation provided if not mentioned previously in this summary.)

Child Care

The following have been updated and were added to the Forms section prior to the 07-21 revision:

ES-1512FC, Changes for Foster Care Child Care Benefits

ES-3100FC, Application for Foster Care Child Care Benefits

Employment Services

ES-4305, TANF Sample Cases Review Guide, is being updated to include additional examples and to align with new procedures on how to complete the sample form.

APPENDIX (Explanation provided if not mentioned previously in this summary.)

Child Care

F-1, Monthly Family Income and Share Deduction Schedule for Child Care Services Set Up Schedule, has been updated to reduce the family share deductions for families with incomes under 100% of poverty to zero, to add an additional level of eligibility at 250% of Poverty, and to reduce the family share deductions for all other income eligible families.

W-14, Social Service - Essential Function 250% FPL Worksheet, has been updated with current poverty level figures

Employment Services

E-6 and E-6S (Spanish) , Self-Assessment Form, is being updated to provide the client with a choice on how they want to complete the initial interview process.

Food Assistance

P-10, Federal Regulations for Food Assistance. These regulations are to be cited in all Food Assistance appeal summaries.

MISCELLANEOUS FORMS (Explanation provided if not mentioned previously in this summary.)

EFFECTIVE DATE

All changes are effective July 1, 2021.

EFFECT ON LOCAL STAFF (No significant effect if not explained below.)

MATERIALS OBSOLETED BY THIS REVISION

COORDINATION EFFORTS

This change was coordinated with staff in Economic and Employment Services (EES), Executive leadership, and the EES Program Administrators.

Sincerely,
Sandra Kimmons, EES Director
Economic and Employment Services
SK:am