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. 89 effective October 01, 2018

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.

All programs – Effective Oct. 21, 2018, verification of KPERS benefits and TALX will be accessible through interfaces with Kansas Eligibility Enforcement System (KEES). Refer to the KEES Non-Medical User Manual for instructions on how to access these interfaces.

Child Care – Child Care policies around 12-month eligibility are being adjusted to meet the federal interpretation of the Child Care Development Block Grant Act of 2014. This includes reasons a child care case may be terminated prior to the end of a 12-month eligibility period, reporting requirements and action taken on reported changes, continuation of care when a caretaker loses a job or stops participation in an approved activity, and graduated phase out policies.

Food Assistance – This revision incorporates the annual adjustments to the Food Assistance program that are effective October 1 of each year. These changes will be processed in KEES. This batch will run before negative action in September.

DESCRIPTION, PURPOSE, AND DETAILS OF POLICY CHANGE

1. All Programs
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      None
      
      
   2. Clarifications
      
      
      1. TALX – In KEESM 1322.1(1)(e), 9122.6(1)(c) and (d), and 9333, “The Work Number” is being changed to “TALX.” Effective October 21, 2018, staff will be able to access TALX through an interface with KEES. Refer to the KEES Non-Medical User Manual for instructions on how to access TALX.
         
         
2. Child Care
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      
      1. Informed Parental Choice – KEESM 1213.9 is being modified to indicate that the agency is required to provide eligible families with a link to the Kansas Quality Network website.
         
         
      2. Income Eligible (Non-TANF) Child Care – KEESM 2835(3) is being modified regarding cases approved with new self-employment and net earnings that are not yet equivalent to the minimum wage per hour. If earnings have not increased to that level by the time the case is reviewed at the end of the 12-month eligibility period, the child care review will be denied.
         
         
      3. The Family Share Deduction – KEESM 7541 is being modified to indicate that the family share deduction is determined at the time of the initial application and at review. The policy that calls for possible case closure when the family share deduction exceeds the cost of care for more than one month is being removed and policy added that allows cases to remain open if the family share deduction exceeds the cost of care for some, but not all, months of the 12-month eligibility period.
         
         
      4. Termination of Child Care Plans – KEESM 7640 is being modified to remove some of the situations in which child care cases may be closed prior to the end of the 12-month eligibility period.
         
         
      5. Change Reporting Requirements – KEESM 9121 is being modified to reflect changes in reporting requirements for child care households.  Effective Oct. 1, 2018, child care recipients are required to report earned income changes of $100 or more, unearned income changes of $50 or more, changes in residence, changes in household composition, changes in choice of child care provider, and changes in hours of care needed, including if child care is no longer being used or has not been used for an entire calendar month for any or all children receiving child care assistance. Households may report other changes in their circumstances, but they are not required to do so.
         
         
      6. Processing Changes Reported by Change Reporting Households – KEESM 9121.1 is being modified to indicate that for child care, reported changes will be acted on if the change results in either income exceeding 85% of SMI for the household size, or if the change is beneficial to the household, resulting in either increased benefits or a reduced family share. Family share deductions cannot be increased prior to the end of a 12-month eligibility period, and hours of care authorized cannot be decreased. Benefits may decrease if due to a change in providers, a rate change made by a provider, a child’s age change, or if a family indicates that child care will not be used, either for an individual child or for all children.
         
         
      7. Review Periods for Child Care – KEESM 9374 is being modified to indicate that at review, if a household’s income exceeds 185% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) but remains below 85% of the State Median Income (SMI), a new Tier II 12-month eligibility period is established. At each review, if income remains between 185% of FPL and 85% of SMI, another 12-month eligibility period is established.  There is no limit to the number of times this may occur.
         
         
   2. Clarifications
      
      
      1. Income Eligible (Non-TANF) Child Care – A clarification is being made to KEESM 2835(3) to indicate that any Job Corps participant is not required to meet the 28-hour work requirement. KEESM 2835(5) is being updated to clarify that there is no financial eligibility determination for Social Service Child Care, including both income and resource tests. The section is also being updated to correct the final paragraph where it lists the exceptions to the families assigned a family share deduction.
         
         
      2. Priorities for Child Care Services – KEESM 2840(1) is being modified to clarify that this priority applies to Tribal TANF recipients.
         
         
      3. Job Corps – KEESM 2850 and 2851 are being modified to clarify the minor differences between Flint Hills Job Corps Solo Parent Program and other Job Corps programs.
         
         
      4. Maximum Allowable Resource Limits for Child Care – An addition is being added to the note in KEESM section 5140 to clarify that the resource limit is waived for families in which at least one person receives TANF, families receiving Food Assistance when at least one adult is participating in the Food Assistance Education and Training program, as well as for families receiving child care for a qualified social service reason or participating in the Kansas Early Head Start/Child Care Partnership program.
         
         
      5. Termination of Child Care Plans – In KEESM 7640, a clarification is being added to the reason that allows cases to close when a child for whom child care assistance is received leaves a “Safe Families for Children” placement or a relative or non-relative kin foster care placement and there are no remaining children receiving child care benefits on the child care case. That clarification is that this includes situations in which the relative or non-relative kin becomes licensed for foster care.
         
         Another clarification is being added to the note at the end of this section to indicate that if a provider goes out of business or closes due to a suspended or revoked license, the plan must end.
         
         
3. Food Assistance
   
   
   1. Changes
      
      
      1. Annual Adjustments to the Food Assistance Program Standards – Effective Oct. 1, 2018, the following documents are being updated to incorporate the annual federal adjustments to the Food Assistance program. The changes for Oct. 1, 2018, include an increase in the standard deduction amounts for all household sizes, an increase in the gross and net income limits, and an increase in the maximum excess shelter deduction. The Food Assistance mass change process will run all Food Assistance cases through EDBC for October 2018 with the information currently in KEES, which can cause benefits to change or people and cases to be discontinued. Examples include income changes, verified date of death, etc. Households will be notified of any changes to their benefits with the mass change notice issued after rollover in September 2018. Documents being changed are:
         
         Appendix Item F-2, Food Assistance Program Standards
         
         Appendix Item F-3, Food Assistance Program Benefit Tables
         
         Form ES-1510.1, Computation of Food Assistance Benefit
         
         
      2. Standard Deduction – Section 7222 is being modified to increase the standard deduction amounts. The new amounts effective Oct. 1, 2018, are:
         
         Household size 1-3 = $164
         
         Household size 4 = $174
         
         Household size 5 = $204
         
         Household size 6 or more = $234
         
         
      3. Shelter Costs – Section 7226 is being modified to change the excess shelter deduction to $552. The SUA is decreasing to $357, and the LUA is decreasing to $243. The telephone standard decreased to $36.
      
      
   2. Clarifications
      
      
      1. Interim Report – The agency has a waiver in place and the IR reminder notice is no longer being sent from KEES.
         
         Text regarding the reminder notice is being removed from Section 9122.6.
         

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

Employment Services

ES-4104, Cooperative Work Site Agreement. The list numbering was corrected. It has been added to the Forms list since the last revision.

ES-4108, Collection Site Passport. The provider information on this form has been updated.

ES-4302, Employer Letter for TANF Samples. The EES textbox was added to the form. It has been added to the Forms list since the last revision.

ES-4303, Sample Month Participant. The EES textbox was added to the form. It has been added to the Forms list since the last revision.

ES-4305, TANF Sample Cases Review Guide. This was updated and added to the Forms list since the last revision.

Food Assistance

ES-1510.1,Computation of Food Assistance Benefit

ES-2007E, Insert. The income amounts are being updated with the Oct. 1, 2018, changes.

TANF

ES-4101, TANF Months in Kansas. This was updated and added to the Forms list since the last revision.

ES-4102, TANF Request for Months in other States. This was updated and added to the Forms list since the last revision.

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

All Programs

B-7, Overpayment Checklist, has been added to the appendix list since the last revision upon staff request.

P-15, Application Signature Request. A checkbox was added to request a signature for LIEAP applications. It has been added to the appendix list since the last revision. Additional text has been added to clarify situations when the entire document should be returned.

Child Care

C-10, Child Care Provider Handbook

C-11, The Parent-Provider Partnership Handbook

W-11, Over 85% SMI Worksheet

Food Assistance

F-2, Food Assistance Program Standards

F-3, Food Assistance Program Benefit Tables

P-1, Medical Expense Guidelines for Food Assistance. The document has been updated and the title changed since the July 2018 revision. It has been added to the appendix list since the last revision.

Successful Families

E-8, Self-Sufficiency Agreement. At the request of some staff this was changed to fillable pdf. Some staff were not able to complete the pdf, so a Word document was developed with form fields to complete. The revision date was left as 04-18 because no significant changes were made. It has been added to the appendix list since the last revision.

E-11, Education/Training Assistance Desk Aid. The term component was change to activity to meet the agency standard. It has been added to the appendix list since the last revision.

E-12, EES Screening Tool for Referral to Rehabilitation Services. Form number ES-4308 was corrected to IS-4308. It has been added to the appendix list since the last revision.

R-4, EES/RS Coordination Procedure/Best Practice. DCF staff participating in joint meetings with RS was changed. It has been added to the appendix list since the last revision.

TANF

P-3, Protective Payment Agreement. Text was changed to indicate that an EBT card will be mailed. A Word document has also been added to the appendix list with form fields for staff to enter the case name and number.

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

EFFECTIVE DATE

All changes are effective October 1, 2018, unless specified otherwise in the implementation memo.

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