STATE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL                                        12-01-11
REHABILITATION SERVICES                                              
Integrated Services Delivery
Docking State Office Building
Room 581 - West
Topeka, Kansas 66612

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.

Successful Families – TANF applicants will now be offered the option of a $1,000 diversion payment to address emergency situations that may jeopardize their employment or ability to accept a valid offer of employment.

DESCRIPTION, PURPOSE, AND DETAILS OF POLICY CHANGE

1. Child Care
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      None
      
      
   2. Clarifications
      
      
      1. Personal Need – The second note in KEESM 2820 is being revised to clarify that if after six months of self-employment an individual is not earning at least the federal minimum wage per hour, child care plans will be terminated per the November 1, 2011 KEESM changes.
         
         
      2. EM (Non-TANF) Child Care – Clarification has been added to KEESM 2835 to indicate that the 20 hour per week work requirement does not apply if an individual is not capable of meeting it due to a documented physical or mental condition.
         
         
2. Successful Families
   
   
1. Changes
   
   
   1. Lump Sum Non-Recurrent Diversion Payment Program Option - KEESM 1118 is being written to define the terms and conditions of the Lump Sum Non-Recurrent Diversion Payment Program Option which is available one time in the State of Kansas TANF life time limit. Families that accept the Diversion Payment will be ineligible for TANF benefits for 12 months and will have a 42 month Life-Time Limit for TANF benefits in the state of Kansas in the future.
      
      The purpose of the Diversion Payment Option is to assist families who are experiencing a temporary emergency or crisis that endangers their ability to stay employed or accept a gainful offer of employment. To be eligible, the members of the mandatory filing unit (MFU) cannot have received TANF cash benefits in Kansas or any other state as an adult or as an emancipated minor. The goal is to give families the option of solving immediate issues while supporting existing or new employment.
      
      For food assistance purposes, the diversion payment is considered a lump sum payment and is exempt as income and a resource in the month of receipt. (Counted as a resource in subsequent months if applicable.) In addition, since the diversion payment is not considered TANF assistance, the payment does not confer categorical eligibility to the household.
      
      
   2. Hardships – KEESM 2243 is being re-written to define the five hardships which allow a household to remain open past the 48 month time limit. Households where all TANF adults meet one or more of the hardship categories may remain open until the reach 60 months of TANF assistance.
      
      
2. Clarifications
   
   
   1. Assessments - Revision 51 included requirements for completing assessments by the 24th month of TANF benefits. In the Implementation memo, the list given was very prescriptive and implied several assessments must be done. KEESM 2242 and 3130.2 are not so specific and we need to clarify that it is not the intention of this revision to require the customer to take multiple versions of the same test or be subjected to tests they clearly do not need. Case managers will use prudent person and follow the guidelines laid out in KEESM 3130.2 to determine what is appropriate for each customer. It remains mandatory for each customer to complete a Work Readiness Screen, a SASSI and a Self-Assessment. Each customer should be given a career assessment and if lacking a high school diploma or GED the CASAS assessment by a licensed administrator. Vocational Assessment and Psychological evaluations in particular may be determined on a case by case basis. Medical assessments must be done if the customer claims disabilities.

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

1. Child Care
   
   ES-1640, Statement of Understanding:  This form has been revised to remove reference to waiving the 20 hour work requirement for individuals who are within 6 months of completion of their education/training.
   
   
2. Successful Families

ES-4106, Diversion Payment Option Disclaimer: This form must be signed by all adults in a household who opt to receive the diversion payment. This form must be kept in the case file and not expunged.

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

1. Child Care
   
   C-25, Child Care Checklist: This document has been revised to remove reference to printing and mailing copies of the child care plans to the customer.
   
   
2. Succesful Families
   
   
   1. E-23, Diversion Payment Option Desk Aid
      
      
   2. E-24, Diversion Payment Option Process Flow

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

EFFECTIVE DATE

The policies in this revision are effective December 1, 2011.

EFFECT ON LOCAL STAFF

There should be no adverse effect on staff and the Diversion Payment Option may help lower case loads.

MATERIALS OBSOLETED BY THIS REVISION

COORDINATION EFFORTS

Within EES, the material in this letter and manual revision has been coordinated with staff in Economic and Employment Support, the EES Program Administrators, the Implementation Planning Team, and the Training Advisory Team.

Sincerely,
Kathe Decker, Director
Economic and Employment Support
KD:am