STATE DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN                Draft 9/12/16 1:39 PM
AND FAMILIES                                             
Family Services
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.

Child Care – New poverty level guidelines have been published by the Department of Health and Human Services. These guidelines affect the eligibility standards in the Child Care program.

Medical Assistance – The effective date for the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Autism (AU) waiver program has changed. This change is effective with all HCBS/AU determinations made on or after May 1, 2015.

DESCRIPTION, PURPOSE, AND DETAILS OF POLICY CHANGE

1. Child Care and TANF
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      None
      
      
   2. Clarifications
      
      
      1. Citizenship Documentation and Verification – KEESM 1322.1 (11) and 2145.1 are being modified to clarify that documentation is required for each individual identified as a U.S. citizen when cash and child care assistance are requested. References to sections 1322.1 (2) and 2146 are being added regarding establishing eligibility for non-citizens.
         
         Citizenship is being added to the list of items that do not have to be reverified KEESM 9333 unless a change has been reported.
         
         
2. Employment Services
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      

      1. Employment Retention – KEESM 3414.3 is being added to implement a job retention tracking tool that will make a payment to the client upon verification of employment and another payment when the client verifies they have been employed for 90 days. Upon employment verification a payment or bonus of $100.00 will be issued on the clients EBT card. The client may continue receiving the work incentive payment of $50 for 5 months and take advantage of the payment program concurrently. If the client verifies 90 days of continuous employment they will receive a $300.00 payment on their EBT card (this does not have to be with one employer, they can have accepted an offer with a different employer(s) so long as they did not have more than a one or two day gap in between jobs).
         
         

      2. Orientation – KEESM 3120 will be revised to implement a new orientation process. Orientation will be given via power point presentation which will include success stories, information about work program expectations, requirements, cooperation, services, etc. The SASSI screen may still be done at the time of the orientation. A packet containing additional local resource information and approved self-assessments will be provided to the client upon the viewing of the orientation power point. Standard required work program assessments such as the SASSI may still be done in group settings upon appointment. All orientation and assessments must be done within 90 days at which time the client should be fully engaged in training or employment focused activities.

      3. Work/Self-Sufficiency Requirements – In KEESM 3100 "KEYTRAIN" is being replaced with "CareerReady" and "KEYTRAIN/WORKKEYS (KWK)" is being replaced with "Job Search/Readiness code (JSR)."
         
         

   2. Clarifications
      
      None
      
      
3. Food Assistance
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      
      1. Claims Discharged through Bankruptcy– KEESM 11126.3 is being changed to indicate that all claims involved with Bankruptcy proceedings should be sent to Central Office Legal Department. We no longer use compromise to show the final disposition of the claim after bankruptcy. KEESM 11129 will also reflect that when the final bankruptcy determination is made, we do not compromise the debt.
         
         
   2. Clarifications
      
      
      1. Food Assistance Disqualified Report – KEESM 11270 is being clarified to email the completed ES-524 to DCF.EBTMAIL@ks.gov and keep the original in the case file.
         
         
      2. Alternate Payees- KEESM 1524.1 is being clarified to match the current EBT system Guide. The client should call the EBT call center when they no longer want an alternate payee to have access to their food assistance benefits. To select a new alternate payee, the client must contact the local DCF office and complete the ES-3141. Refer to the EBT System Guide for more information.
         
         
4. Medical Assistance
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      
      1. HCBS Autism Waiver Start Date – The start date for the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Autism (AU) waiver program is changing from the date of assessment to the actual date eligibility staff approve coverage.
         
         Example: Eligibility staff receive an application for HCBS/AU waiver services on 04/29/2015. The application is processed on 05/22/2015 and coverage is approved. For budgeting purposes, 05/2015 is the first HCBS month. The Living Arrangement/Level of Care (LA/LOC) effective date on the LOTC screen is 05/22/2015 (the date the application was actually worked/approved).
         
         KEESM sections 8200.2 and 8217 will be updated with this revision.
         
         
   2. Clarifications
      
      None
      
      
5. Successful Families
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      
      1. Protective Payee – A note is being added to the end of 1414.2 (3) explaining the process to follow when a protective payee is required at application.
         
         A protective payee is not required for child care when an adult caretaker has been tested positive for illegal drug use, refused or failed to undergo drug screening or been found guilty of fraud in the TANF or child care program. Verbiage is being removed from 1515 indicating that one is needed for child care. Verbiage is also being added and removed as appropriate in 11221.2 regarding this policy.
         
         Appendix items B-3, TANF and Child Care Disqualification Consent Agreement, and P-3, Protective Payment Agreement, are being updated to reflect these changes.
         
         
   2. Clarifications
      
      None
      

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

Food Assistance

ES-524, Food Assistance Disqualified Recipient Report: Instructions are being added to email this form to ebtmail@dcf.ks.gov

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

1. Child Care
   
   F-1, Monthly Family Income and Family Share Deduction Schedule: This is being updated based on May 2015 poverty level amounts.
   
   
2. Successful Families
   
   B-3, TANF and Child Care Disqualification Consent AgreementP-3, Protective Payment Agreement

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

None

EFFECTIVE DATE

Polices for this revision are effective May 1, 2015.

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

MATERIALS OBSOLETED BY THIS REVISION

None

COORDINATION EFFORTS

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

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